The Misfits
by Running-On-Air-jjw
Summary: The Dursleys have had it with Harry Potter and decide to send him to a behavioral center. Harry has no choice but to go on a journey to Karlbergs, unaware of the snags and laughs he will experience. His world is turned upside down as he learns new things about himself and those around him. And, somewhere along the way, Harry becomes a misfit. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So, I started a new story and I have already wrote a few chapters. Before, I had a long chapter fic up but never got around to finishing it and I took it down. This time, though, I want to see this one through. Lucky for any readers, my writing has gotten much better, that i can say about myself. A little bit about this story; The idea of it came to me while i was on tumblr and I saw a fanart of Harry decked out in tattoos and smoking a cigarette. I just always loved the idea of a rebel Harry and this is what happened. I admit that the idea sort of ran away from me and now you get this. This story will breach a few topics that might bother some people, such as sexuality, child abuse, transgender, so on and so forth. This is AU, obviously, and their is slash. There is established Wolfstar and eventually, Drarry will be reached. I'm not saying that HArry won't experience things and confusion before then. So, enjoy and read and review. Thanks!**

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"You're joking!"

"Most certainly not, boy!"

"I am not going!"

"Yes, you will. We won't have you staying around here and doing any of your funny business if we don't have to. This is the perfect solution."

Harry clenched his fists at his side and glared balefully at his gleeful and admittedly fat uncle. The man was baring his teeth in semblance of a grin. Harry's mind raced and he tried to calm his racing heart. He couldn't go to a summer juvenile camp. He just couldn't. His uncle and aunt were mad. And, more than that, Harry thought that Marge, his uncle Vernon's sister, was the most insane for finding the institution in the first place.

"I can't leave!" Harry protested. "Dumbledore said-"

"Yes, yes, we're aware of how that stupid magic works! We know the restrictions. We aren't breaching them, boy." Petunia burst out from Vernon's side.

"I won't go." Harry spat.

"You will if you're under this roof." Vernon bellowed, his eyes gleaming in satisfaction.

"Then I'll leave!"

"Ah, but you can't, can you!?" Vernon cackled.

Harry faltered, knowing he was right and hating it. He was in a bind and had nowhere to go. He couldn't leave, he knew that. He had no choice but to do what they said or risk losing his life. It was too dangerous and yet... Harry almost liked his chances against the death eaters. It wasn't fair that he had no choice. With a jolt, Harry suddenly realized that he'd actually be going to a disciplinary school. He'd be surrounded by muggle kids who were thieves and bullies and fighters. Harry felt his blood go cold and his face paled, which was a feat seeing as he was so tan.

"Karlbergs will be just the place for you and for us... Well, you'll finally be out of our hair. And, who knows? Maybe you'll learn some manners. Marge says it's the best that she knows of." Petunia giggled cruelly.

"So, we've called the bus to come around and pick you up. I want you out of here tomorrow morning, boy. Better start packing now." Vernon said happily.

"This school won't prove anything!" Harry snapped.

"For the price it has, I think it most certainly will." Vernon retorted smugly and stomped out the room, Petunia on his heels.

Harry stared after them, his jaw hanging open. Out of all the things they could ever pay for him and they choose this? Dread filled his stomach like heavy ice and he slowly walked to his room. He couldn't help but be wary. His aunt and uncle seemed quite sure of themselves. That never was a good thing for him. Feeling numb, Harry packed his trunk.

…

Harry woke up early but made no move to get up. As much as he hated the Dursleys, he hated the idea of a disciplinary school even more. He could tolerate their snide comments and hateful glares for him not going. He just wouldn't get up. Looking at the clock, he knew the bus would be there within thirty minutes. It was early morning, a bit before five, and he was sure he could 'miss' the bus. Vernon would be furious but he just didn't care. So, he lay there.

Vernon and Petunia would give him even more chores and treat him worse. Somehow, the idea of a military or disciplinary school was worse. He wasn't quite sure what the school was labeled as but he knew it was for misbehaved kids. He also knew that if Marge had suggested it, nothing was even remotely good about it. Taking it even further, if Vernon was willing to pay to have Harry go there, it must be downright horrid. No, he wasn't going. He would just-

"Boy! Get up, now!"

A rapping sounded on his door and Harry tensed. The voice was a hiss and quiet but he'd recognize his aunt's annoying tone anywhere. Was she seriously waking him up? They never got up before seven in the morning. Harry's stomach dropped and he sat up on his elbows, staring at the door. They weren't going to let him get out of this. The taps came faster and louder and Harry didn't doubt that his aunt would come in and drag him up by his ear.

"I'm up." He snarled, not bothering to be quiet. He sat up and glared at the door, hoping that maybe she'd feel the heat of the scowl through the door.

"Shut it, boy. Get up and get out of here. Don't even think about going back to sleep." She hissed before he heard her footsteps padding away.

Harry sighed heavily and sat his elbows on his knees, resting his head in his hands. He rubbed his palms against his eyes until he seen black spots in his vision. With another sigh, he sat back and reached over for his glasses. He got up, grumbling under his breath and overall worrying, and went to take a shower. It helped him wake up and he didn't want to feel dirty when dealing with what was coming.

When he was as ready as he could be, Harry got his trunk straight and sat on his bed. For a moment, he considered running away. He could catch the Knight Bus and go to Diagon Alley. He could floo Ron and find refuge in the Burrow. But, he feared that maybe Dumbledore wouldn't allow that. As well as, it was just plain cowardly. He couldn't run away. His pride wouldn't let him and he knew it.

"The bus is here. Get out." Petunia's voice floated through the door.

Harry's stomach twisted anxiously. It felt like snakes had taken home where butterflies were meant to be. He gulped and pulled his trunk behind him, shooting a glance at Hedwig's empty cage. Hermione would take care of his pet owl, he knew, but he almost wished she were here to say goodbye to. He opened the door and followed his aunt dutifully down the stairs. She held the door wide open and ushered him outside. She slammed it shut behind him without a word of goodbye. Harry refused to care about it.

"Hurry up, kid."

A man with salt and pepper hair, straightened stance, and american accent had stepped off the bus. He frowned at Harry, eyeing him critically. Harry started forward, pulling his trunk with him. The man came forward and grabbed up Harry's trunk. He motioned Harry on the bus with a vague hand motion.

"Er, what about..." Harry trailed off and looked at his trunk pointedly. The man looked at him blankly.

"My name is Hector Peters. You will either refer to me as Mr. Peters or Counselor Peters. As for your trunk, I have to search it. Hurry up and be quiet." Mr. Peters said firmly, waving Harry on more insistently.

"Yes, sir." Harry muttered, stepping up into the bus.

He turned left and came to an abrupt halt. A woman in the first seat was waiting on him. She didn't really have all the feminine aspects that most women should. Her shoulders were wide, her hair was short to her chin, and she was rather buff. Her lip was in a sneer and she waved him on, motioning for him to walk through a large machine lining the walkway entrance.

"Walk through. If you've got anything you aren't supposed to, I'll have to frisk you." The woman said and her voice was deep as the man's outside, though she was clearly from Scotland.

Harry eyed the machine warily. All he had on him was his wand. If they tried to take that from him... He didn't know what he would do. He _wasn't_ giving that up. Cautiously, he stepped through and a little beep emitted from it. A small green light at the top showed and the woman waved him on. Harry quickly stepped past her but came to a halt again as he looked down the aisle of the bus. It was mostly empty.

He started towards the back, mostly sure that if he sunk down and stayed silent then he wouldn't be noticed. He couldn't help but look at the few people he did notice. There was a girl with black hair and purple streaks. She had her hood up and was curled up in the very corner of the seat by the window. A boy with hair thrown up in a bun and a visible tattoo on his neck was sprawled out in a seat closer to the back. He had a beanie folded and sitting over his eyes. Another boy with very short hair and skinny cheeks sat in a seat closer to the middle. He was fiddling with a rubik's cube and shifting restlessly in his seat.

Harry went all the way to the back seat on the left and sat down, edging all the way to the window. He pulled up his knees up and rested them against the seat in front of him. With any luck, everyone would avoid it seeing as knees in your back was uncomfortable. He pulled his hood up and rested his head against the window. The bus started up as Mr. Peters took the driver's seat and pulled them away. Exhaustion fell over Harry and despite the rattling of the windows and how his head would vibrate and thump against the cold window, he fell asleep.

…

Harry woke with a start as the seat next to him sunk down as someone plopped down beside him. He jerked up and looked around. It was the boy with his hair thrown up in a bun and the tattoo. He had a light tan and looked around Harry's age or maybe a year older. He had broad shoulders, slim waist, and a mischievous grin. His eyes were baby blue and locked onto Harry's face. Harry blinked.

"I supposed you had the right idea. Butch and his boys didn't even glance back here at you." The boy said smoothly, smiling easily.

"Smart one, aren't you?"

Harry couldn't help but lean up and look at who else had spoken. The seat across from him held two girls. One was the black with purple streaks haired girl and Harry now could see that she had two eyebrow rings, a nose ring that wrapped around her nostril, and dark green eyes. The other girl, however, had long straight dark red hair, like blood red. She had one nose ring but it was a stud and she was smiling, flashing dimples at him. Her eyes were bright blue, twinkling in a way that reminded him of Dumbledore.

"I'm sorry, what?" Harry asked, his brow furrowed.

"You slept through it, then? I thought you might've been faking."

Harry jumped in surprise. He looked to the seat in front of him and blinked. The boy he had seen with the Rubik's cube was leaning over the seat, tapping the seat constantly. He looked a bit nervous or anxious or maybe both. The boy had a crew cut and was pale with pale brown eyes. His fingers were slim and nimble. Harry cleared his throat.

"I only just woke up." Harry said.

"Mhm, I see that. You missed it, really. Butch and his mates tried to have a go at Josh here." The boy in the seat in front of him said.

"Oh. Er... Are you alright?" Harry asked, turning to Josh. Said boy just grinned.

"Not easy to get me down. So, what's your name?" Josh chirped.

"Harry." He said and a chorus of 'Hey Harry' went between everyone, except the girl with black and purple hair. She simply nodded at him curtly.

"I'm Olivia." The redhead said.

"I'm Nick." The boy in front of him said.

"Nervous Nick, of course." Josh said but his tone was teasing. Nick huffed lightly.

"And, you?" Harry asked the black haired girl.

"Oh, she doesn't talk. Her name's Emily but she prefers for you to just call her Em." Olivia explained.

"Oh. Right then. So, who is this, er, Butch?" Harry asked curiously, half standing to look around. He blinked as he looked over all the seats. The whole bus was full now.

"Only the biggest prat you'll ever meet." Nick muttered, pulling at some of the loose strands of the seat cover.

"Yes. He and his cronies take to bullying anything that is smaller, quieter, or more different than him." Josh said, pursing his lips and rolling his eyes.

"He's evil." Olivia concluded.

"Em wishes she could kick his arse." Josh put in generously and Em cracked a smile.

"He forced all of you to come back here?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Each summer, they claim a section of the bus and upheave anyone who is in it. Most times, they choose the one where their least favorite disorderlies are." Olivia said, narrowing her eyes and sticking her tongue out in the direction of what Harry assumed was Butch. He noticed then that she had a tongue ring.

"He happens to dislike me quite a lot so..." Josh said cheerfully and shrugged.

"Oh. That's...terrible." Harry murmured.

"That's Butch for you." Nick said, shrugging as if to ask, 'hey, what can you do?'. Harry frowned.

"Disorderlies?" Harry asked.

"New ones are always confused." Nick laughed and it sounded quite hysterical. Josh reached out and patted Harry's shoulder.

"Don't mind him, mate. He's a little unstable." Josh said cheekily. Nick's quick hands darted out and made to swipe at Josh but he dodged them.

"Disorderlies are what we are. We're heading to Karlbergs, as I'm sure you're aware. It's a school for those who need discipline and behavior counseling. But, instead of calling us Juveniles, they call us disorderlies." Olivia explained, waving her hands in exaggeration to her words and rolling her eyes.

"You've all been here before?" Harry asked, eyes wide. Josh snickered.

"Everyone who comes once always comes back at least once. Mostly everyone, anyways. You can't really escape Karlbergs." Olivia said with a sad sigh. Harry whipped around to stare at her.

"I don't- That's not-"

"Relax, four eyes, it's not that big of a deal. Karlbergs is something we all hate. We get better after a bit, our parents are sure we've made progress, and then we fuck up. Where do they send us? Back here. This shit whole." Nick said, causing Harry to turn to him.

"It's that bad?" Harry asked.

"Worse." Josh murmured, suddenly sobered up. Harry felt his stomach drop.

"Just you wait, newbie. You'll see." Olivia said.

"And then, soon, you won't be so new anymore." Nick said.

"You'll catch on. I can tell by just looking at you that Butch and his boys aren't going to like you. Quiet and shy types is what he eats for breakfast. But, it's cool. We'll take care of you. You can join us. We're the misfits among the misfits." Josh said.

"Thanks." Harry whispered hoarsely, turning to stare out the window as the outside world flashed by.

…

"We'll be there soon." Olivia announced quietly.

Harry picked his head up from the window and swallowed hard. The others had fallen silent, save for Josh singing quietly to himself in French and Nick fiddling with the Rubik's cube. Harry's stomach had tied itself into knots and he kept reaching in his pocket to touch his wand, needing the reassurance of magic. He looked up and around, trying to see everyone.

Nick had sat fully in his seat but Harry could see the back of his head through the crack by the window. Josh was cleaning out from under his nails and humming the French tune to himself. Em had fallen asleep, her head falling forward with her chin resting on her chest. Olivia was sitting perfectly still and staring into space. They had to be the strangest group he had ever met, if he was being honest.

"So, Harry... Can I call you Harry or do you have a nickname?" Josh began lightly.

"Harry is fine."

"Okay. So, Harry... I should probably warn you that the staff of Karlbergs consider themselves 'no tolerance to nonsense' helpers." Josh said, rolling his eyes and making air quotes.

"They call themselves that?" Harry asked incredulously. Nick popped up from his seat, his chin resting on the top of the seat.

"It's there excuse for when they punish us. According to them, they won't tolerate any nonsense and can attend to us as they see fit."

"Punish... How... What's the punishments?" Harry asked, paling.

"The usual. Detention of scrubbing toilets with toothbrushes, Paddling, berating... Same old, same old." Olivia piped up lightly.

"That's all?" Harry asked nervously, not liking the idea of paddling. Josh sighed and was serious again, something Harry had already learned was a rare thing.

"There are worse things. No one really talks about them and everyone avoids them." Josh said.

"Of course, you can't always do that." Nick murmured.

"They have their favorites, their star disorderlies, if you will. As well as, they have their least favorites, the ones they enjoy hurting the most." Josh said quietly.

"Nick here has been put through the wringer. He is the most punished of all." Olivia whispered.

Harry felt horror settle in him and turned to stare at Nick. The bloke was blatantly ignoring them and fiddling with the loose strands on the seat. Harry watched, feeling his heart twist, as Nick whispered to the strands and made them tie in knots, wearing a slight insane smile on his face as he did so. Harry couldn't help but panic. What if they punished him and he turned out like Nick?

"Relax, mate. You've just got to keep your head down and you'll avoid a lot of punishments." Josh soothed him, patting his shoulder.

"That's the problem. I'm not so good at keeping my head down." Harry muttered in a croak.

"I'm not either. But, trust me, you'll learn." Josh promised, something deep and sad flickering in his eyes. He looked at Harry like he was something fresh and pure that was about to become worn and dark.

"Here we are." Olivia announced, her voice shaking only slightly as she looked out Harry's window. Harry slowly turned and his stomach dropped.

"Oh me- oh god." Harry breathed out, having mind to muggle up his words.

Karlbergs looked like a looming prison. It had a very high brick perimeter that had barbed wire on the top. A metal gate with two heavy chains and big locks were what they stopped in front of. The whole building looked like some private school gone grey. There was a courtyard out front and a two story grey brick building that was clearly the school. All the windows had metal slats on the outside, making them impossible to open. Everything about the place looked old, dark, and bland. There was nothing overly frightening about it. No torture devices out or a drawbridge of doom. It was really just...a grey building.

Harry didn't know what he had been thinking that it would be. It was a simple building but oh so bland. There was nothing grandiose about it, nothing worthy of a second look. The only notable thing about the property was the perimeter and the metal slats on on the windows. Still, Harry wasn't fooled. There had been fear in Olivia's voice and sadness in Josh's eyes. Harry didn't doubt that this place was terrible.

"We always get off last." Josh informed him.

"Why?" Harry asked curiously. Why prolong the inevitable, anyway?

"Messing with Merta." Olivia giggled, pointing to the lady up front who had waved Harry on the bus.

"I'm sorry?" Harry asked, confused.

"No need to apologize." Josh quipped cheekily.

"I wasn't-"

"We got off last because of Nick. Every summer, he manages to smuggle something past the metal detector and her frisking him. Before he gets off, he hands it to her." Olivia explained.

"Her face is priceless." Nick laughed, looking normal and completely sane since the first time Harry had saw him.

"She gets so peeved off that he gets past her. You should've seen her last summer. Nick brought on a cellphone and she went ballistic." Josh said, chuckling and his bright eyes dancing.

"How do you do it?" Harry asked Nick.

"A magician never reveals his tricks." Nick replied wisely. For the first time since getting on the bus, Harry grinned widely.

"Just like magic, eh?" He asked.

"Just like magic." Nick agreed with a whimsical voice, slowly lowering down in his seat and waving his hands mysteriously. Harry laughed.

"It's the Rubik's cube this time, isn't it?" Olivia asked and Nick popped up, nodding.

"Mhm."

"Where'd you even put that? Surely she must have felt it." Olivia murmured.

"Not telling." Nick sang.

"Come on, time to go. Olivia wake up Em." Josh said, standing. The grin vanished from Harry's lips.

"She's up."

"Oh okay. Let's go."

They all stood up and started out of the seats. Nick stumbled out into the aisle, taking the lead. He smiled at Olivia behind him and leaned down, whispering something in her ear. Olivia nodded and pulled Em standing in front of her. Josh ushered Harry out next and he took the rear. As they walked, Harry watched as Olivia bent down and whispered in Em's ear. He saw her head bob up and down.

"Don't mind them. They're plotting."

Harry jumped violently as warm breath brushed his ear. He turned his head and stared up at Josh in surprise. Josh's eyes were sparkling and he was grinning widely. Harry blinked, surprised by the whole image of the bloke. He was like a punk rock biker who just happened to be really nice and mischievous. It reminded him so much of Sirius that it hurt.

"Plotting?" Harry whispered back, mindful of the lady up in the front seat. Josh leaned back down.

"Mhm. Every summer Em, Olivia, and Nick prank Merta before giving her Nick's item." Josh breathed back, sending chills down Harry's spine.

"Won't they get punished?" Harry hissed.

"Oh no. Merta is harmless. She won't do anything but bitch and hurry them off the bus." Josh laughed in his ear. Harry leaned forward, uncomfortable at the proximity, and nodded.

"Why don't you help them?" Harry asked, looking back over his shoulder. Josh grinned.

"I normally am talking up the new disorderlies, actually." Josh said playfully, wagging his eyebrows. Harry couldn't help but laugh.

"Fulfilling your summerly duties, then?"

"Yep."

"How's that going?" Harry asked in amusement.

"I dunno. You tell me." Josh teased, smiling widely. Harry felt laughter bubble up in his chest but squashed it. He couldn't believe that he was about to enter a disciplinary school and was flirting with one of the residents to the school. A resident who also happened to be a bloke. It was surreal.

"You bloody brats! Get off this bus! NOW! GET OFF!"

Harry jumped in surprise and turned around. In talking to Josh, he had missed the prank. The lady, Merta, held the Rubik's cube and was swatting at the other three as if to hit them. But, it was obvious she wasn't going to. Nick laughed hysterically and ran off the bus. Em and Olivia were smiling widely as they hurried off. Harry went after them, fighting a smile.

"Idiot kids." Merta muttered as Harry clambered down the steps. Josh grinned as he passed and Harry heard his teasing voice float down.

"Aw, we love you too, Merta. Take care of the bus, will you!?"

The next thing Harry knew, Josh was nearly flying down the steps, laughing loudly all the way. Merta slammed the doors with a scowl and started up the bus. Josh, Olivia, Nick, and even Em was laughing uproariously, though Em's laughter was silent. Harry ended up laughing as well, unable to hold it in.

Despite the situation, that moment among the misfits was one he'd always remember.

…


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So, here is the second chapter. Please read and review! Enjoy and feel free to give me ideas!**

...

"Alright, disorderlies, most of you know the drill."

Mr. Peters waved his hand vaguely and everyone fell silent. Harry's previous laughter evaporated on the spot and he watched as everyone started to get in a single line. Josh pulled him in front of him, resting his hands on Harry's shoulder. There was a noticeable height difference between the two which only succeeded in making Harry feel smaller.

"Just go along with us." Olivia whispered, turning around from where she stood in front of him.

"Yeah, okay." Harry agreed quietly.

Mr. Peters led them into the building and Harry looked around, frowning at the bland surroundings. It was like someone had made the place liveable and that was it. There was no creativity, nothing that brought forth any emotions. They were led inside and immediately upon entering, there were three ways to go. A hallway to the left, a hallway to the right, or straight into what appeared to be a cafeteria. Mr. Peters went straight and they followed, only the sound of their steps echoing in the otherwise silent place.

They entered the cafeteria and immediately on the right, there was three tables. One table each had one person sitting behind them. There were about nine more adults lingering around the tables but they didn't seem to be doing anything and they all held black plastic sticks that Harry assumed he knew what they were used for. Mr. Peters waved them on and one by one, each disorderly stepped up to the first table. As soon as the first one moved to the next table, the second disorderly moved to the first and so on.

Harry couldn't see what was happening at each table and could only catch snippets of the words as he drew closer. The line dwindled and soon, Harry could see more. The lady at the first table had multiple large manila envelopes and a marker. She was chewing gum, smacking more like it, and slipping each closed manila envelope in a plastic bin beside her. Out of the group Harry had met, Nick was the first at the table.

"Good, looking clean to me, Nick." The lady announced, her voice drawing out some as she chewed her gum vigorously. She waved him on and Em was next.

"Every damn summer, you come looking like this. Least you invested in some contacts. Alright, girl, lose the metal." The lady snapped, looking annoyed at her.

Harry watched in bemusement as Em glared at the lady and slowly reached up. She started taking out all her piercings. Harry watched, fascinated, as Em slowly unclasped them from various points on her face. And then, she brushed her hair back and started on her ear. Harry counted thirteen piercings between both ears. After that, Harry was sure she would be done but she wasn't. She lifted her shirt, flashing a smooth tan stomach, and took out a belly button ring. Harry was mystified, to be honest. How did she do it?

"You'll need this." The lady said as she reached down by her foot and lifted up a white bottle. As Em grabbed it, the lady started picking up the piercings and tossing them into a folder. With the marker, she wrote 'EMILY EVANSON' in large letters.

"Best wash out the purple next shower or Peters will be on ya." The lady said and waved Em on.

Harry couldn't see Em but by her tense stance as she moved to the next table, he knew she was angry. Olivia was next and the lady merely rolled her eyes and smacked her gum harder. She waggled her fingers, motioning for Olivia to 'lose the metal' as she said. Olivia huffed and took out her nose ring and tongue ring. That was all she had, apparently, and she was waved on. Harry stepped up next.

"New disorderly, eh? Tell me, kid, you got any piercings?" The lady asked, eyeing him closely.

"Er, no." Harry muttered.

"Any tattoos that I just am missing?"

"No."

"What's your natural hair color?"

"Er, this." Harry said, motioning to his hair.

"You lying?" She asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. Harry shook his head.

"No."

"Ah huh. That's what they all say. Well, by next summer you'll surely have a piercing or tattoo. For now, you're new. So, I will need your glasses."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Your glasses, boy. Hand them here." She demanded, holding out a hand. Harry didn't move.

"I need my glasses to see." Harry said slowly.

"Obviously. I'll be loaning you some contacts. I suggest you invest in some soon. Now, hand me your glasses." The lady ordered, growing more impatient.

"I'm sorry but... I can't just give you my-"

The lady stood up abruptly and snatched his glasses from his face. Harry blinked rapidly and his mouth dropped open. The woman sat back down with a scowl. She opened a fresh envelope and dropped his glasses in it. She sealed it and opened the marker.

"Name?" She asked curtly.

"Harry." He whispered, feeling as if the floor had just been snatched out from under him. He squinted, trying to see better.

"I don't know why the new disorderlies always fight me on that. Here, take these. Now, get."

Harry grabbed the box she held out to him. Harry squinted down, barely managing to read the words. It was contacts that matched his prescription perfectly. That surprised him and he wondered how she knew. Maybe she remembered some sort of file they had on him by name. He stepped away, walking to the second table. He heard the lady faintly chastising Josh on his tattoo and hair length.

"Harry, was it? Alright, kid. Take off your shoes and socks, lose the hoody, and if you're wearing any gloves or scarf, take them off too."

Harry squinted at the man in front of him. What he could see past the blurriness, the man was being completely serious. Harry slowly sat the box down on the table and started removing the clothes. When he was left in nothing but his underclothing, shirt, and trousers, Harry picked the box back up again. He felt odd, standing there without no shoes on. The man took his clothes that he gave and packed them away in a bag that had three clasps.

"Here is your uniforms. Keep them washed because we will not be handing out new ones. So, wash them and don't lose them. However, the clothes you wear must be packed away. Someone will be by to pick them up within the first hour of you moving into your quarters." The man explained in a blank drone.

"Er, thanks?" Harry said, though it came out as a question. He grabbed the grey blurs that the blurry man was holding out to him. He saw the man wave him on to the next table.

"Name?"

Harry narrowed his eyes to look at the woman more clearly. She held a stack of papers and her voice sounded bored. Harry cleared his throat and stepped closer, trying to see. He could hear the man giving giving the same droning speech to Josh behind him. He also caught the flash of leather that was Josh's jacket out of the corner of his eyes. Not completely blind then. The woman in front of him snapped her finger and demanded his name again.

"Harry Potter." He said quietly.

"Alright Potter, here's your schedule. You'll be in room fifteen. The rules are on the back of the paper. Break them and you'll face severe consequences." The woman said and handed him a paper.

"Yes, ma'am." Harry murmured. He was waved on and as he walked away, one of the lingering adults stepped up and handed him a pamphlet.

He continued on, squinting to look for Olivia's dark red hair. He couldn't find it but before he could properly panic, someone stepped up behind him. He jumped as a hand clamped down on his shoulder. He turned and was relieved to see the blurring out line of Josh's face. Josh sighed quietly and took the box from Harry's hands. Harry tried to see what he was doing but was unable to with his eyesight.

"Look up at me." Josh murmured.

"What- why-"

"Just do it." Josh muttered. Harry hesitated a moment before tilting his head back. He stared up at Josh but couldn't see anything but blurs.

"What-"

"Don't flinch. Just relax." Josh said. Then, Harry nearly reared back as something was being put in his eyes. He blinked rapidly but Josh had already moved his hand back. Harry could see out of his left eye but not his right. It was disorienting.

"Thanks. Can you..." Harry trailed off, feeling slightly foolish. Josh smiled and lifted the next contact.

"Relax. I'll be quick." Josh said. And then, his hand darted out and was putting in the other contact.

It was a strange feeling, uncomfortable if he was being honest. He blinked and was surprised at how watery his eyes were. However, after a moment, it went away. He felt fine and could see quite nicely. He felt naked without his glasses but at least he could see. He grabbed the box and smiled at Josh gratefully.

"Thanks."

"You'll learn eventually. Come on. We've got to go to our quarters and shower and change."

And so, Harry followed Josh out of the cafeteria. They went to the right and Harry looked around for Em or Olivia or Nick. They were nowhere in sight in the sea of people in a single line. Josh didn't seem concerned so Harry let it go. He shouldn't _already_ be worrying about people. He was the new one! As they continued down the hall, they passed multiple rooms. The line grew shorter and shorter as people filed into their assigned room. And, when a door with the number fifteen above it came up, Harry stopped.

"Go in, disorderly." Mr. Peters ordered in a bored tone. Josh shot him a reassuring look and Harry went in.

He opened the door and turned to watch as Josh continued down the hall. He stuck his head out and saw Josh go in the door with a seventeen above it. Two doors down. Harry caught Mr. Peters staring, no, _glaring_ at him and he quickly turned back around. He went in and shut the door, looking around.

It was- well, it was...empty. Empty and blank and grey. Harry blinked, frowning at his surroundings. The room wasn't large, smaller than his room at the Dursleys but bigger than the cupboard. It had a twin sized cot in the far right corner and his trunk sat at the foot of his bed. He blinked to see it open and all his Dudley hand-me-downs were gone. He had left his invisibility cloak and marauder's map at the Dursleys, not willing to risk losing them. All he had packed was his clothes and they were all gone. He looked down at the bundle of grey clothes before him before looking back around the room, scanning to see what else would be there.

The walls were grey bricks and there were a few cracks in the bricks but that was the only noticeable thing about them. The very back wall had a window but it had a metal slate that made him uncomfortable. The far left wall held a sink and a small mirror above it. That was it. Stepping forward to the bed, he sat the clothes down, ready to sort through them.

They were grey, just like everything in the place. They felt like linen cloth, like nurse scrubs. There were three long sleeve shirts that were actually wool but they were as equally unattractive as the other four thin regular sleeved shirts. And, the pants we're all the same, all seven pair. Simple trousers and that was all. He folded them all with a sigh and moved to his trunk. Looking in, he saw nine pairs of underpants and eight pairs of socks with two pairs of laceless shoes. All grey and blank like the shirts and pants, the only difference being that the socks and underwear were soft cotton. There was also two coats that wouldn't do much good, Harry assumed.

Harry sighed heavily and took out some underwear, a pair of socks, a short sleeved shirt, and pants. Looking around, he wondered where the shower was. He saw the left wall bend inwards before it met the back wall. He stepped closer and sure enough, it was a shower. Or, what a shower might've been a hundred years ago. It was a simple shower head with one knob under it. There was a small ledge that held one bar of soap and that was all. Turning around, he saw another ledge on the back wall that held six towels. And they were, you guessed it, grey. Bland grey. And, a little to the left of the ledge, out of sight, there sat his toilet.

Chewing his lip, he stepped in the crevice. It was about the size of his cupboard back at the Dursleys, way smaller than he was used to. Nervously, he poked his head around the wall to make sure he couldn't be seen. It was stupid, seeing as his door was closed, but it made him feel better to know the wall properly blocked him. Unless he was to purposely step in the other room, no one would see him. That alone slightly made up for the fact that there was no door. So, cautiously as he could, Harry stripped naked.

The place wasn't cold as he expected and maybe that was because it was summer. However, that didn't mean he wanted to get cold. Unbeknownst to him, there was only one temperature on the knob that produced water. Frigid cold water beat down on him from the showerhead and he yelped in surprise. He quickly rushed to take a shower, scrubbing himself as quickly as possible. As soon as he was rinsed, the water was shut off and he shivered as toweled himself off. Once suitably dry, he yanked on his new clothes.

He took his old clothes and left the small bathroom cave as he had dubbed it. He folded his clothes and sat them on the top of his trunk after he closed it. He sat the box of contacts on one of the four posts of the bed. After that, he sat down on the bed and grabbed up the paper he had, reading the rules warily.

 **In your quarters:**

 _-You must keep your quarters neat and tidy at all times_

 _-You are not allowed to decorate your room with pictures, posters, stickers, markings, etc._

 _-You are required to keep all garments, including shoes, packed away in your brought suitcase_

 _-You are not allowed to rearrange your bed or remove any sheets_

 _-You are required to take at least one shower a day and can have no more than four unless they are appointed to you by administration_

 _-You will be brought a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a brush daily in the morning and evening to groom but you are not allowed to keep them_

 _-You are only allowed one book in your quarters at a time and it must be from the Karlbergs library_

 _-The administration is allowed random quarter inspections and will check daily that your room in up to standards on the rules_

 _-You will be allowed one hour daily to free roam and have others in your quarters but this action can be revoked if administration sees it fit_

 _-You reserve the right to ask others to leave your quarters_

 _-If asked, you must leave someone else's quarters that their request or the administration_

 **In the cafeteria:**

 _-You will be quiet unless you are given permission to speak_

 _-You are required to attend each meal_

 _-You are allowed to sit where you wish but administration is allowed to move you away if they see fit to it_

 _-You are not allowed to horseplay_

 _-Fighting is not permitted_

 _-Public displays of affection must be kept to the minimum and if an administrator asks it, the displays must cease altogether_

 _-Administration is allowed to send you away from a meal but no more than one in a day and four a week_

 **In gatherings or classes:**

 _-Each teacher is allowed to set up their own rules_

 _-You must be quiet unless allowed to talk_

 _-You cannot skip any event whether it is class or a gathering_

 _-You must be respectful and mindful of all rules that apply_

 _-Fighting is not permitted_

 _-Public displays of affection must be kept to the minimum and if an administrator asks it, the displays must cease altogether_

 _-Administration is allowed to discipline you as they see fit if you misbehave in any way_

 **On the job:**

 _-You must work to finish your appointed job in the allotted time given_

 _-You must work with whoever is assigned and refrain from confrontation_

 _-You must participate in completing the job_

 _-You are not allowed to skip any job appointed to you_

 _-You must stay quiet unless allowed to talk_

 _-Fighting is not permitted_

 _-Public displays of affection must be kept to the minimum and if an administrator asks it, the displays must cease altogether_

 _-Administration is allowed to reassign you to a new job or discipline you for misbehaving as they see fit_

 **Main Rules:**

 _ **-Listen to the administration and follow their instructions**_

 _ **-Fighting is not permitted, whether verbal or physical**_

 _ **-Public displays of affection must be kept to the minimum and if an administrator asks it, the displays must cease altogether**_

 _ **-You must follow your schedule and attend all events, including your appointed job**_

 _ **-You are not allowed to have any object that the administration bans**_

 _ **-Any unauthorized objects will be confiscated immediately and you'll be seen to accordingly**_

 _ **-You are not allowed to threaten others, including the administrative staff**_

 _ **-You are not allowed to entertain the thought of or try and commit homicide or suicide**_

 _ **-You must learn to behave**_

Harry's eyebrows were trying to mold to his hairline by the time he was finished. These rules were barbaric and made him furious. They treated these kids like they were criminals, even giving them their own personal prison. It was horrible and it was everything his uncle could've ever wanted for him.

He wondered vaguely if maybe these kids really were criminals. Surely, not all the parents were like the Dursleys. Harry didn't have the faintest clue for what laid back Josh might've done. Or, casual Olivia. Or, nervous Nick. Or, silent Em. Any one of them could've set a house on fire or robbed a store or mobbed some unsuspecting kid or fought their parents. He just didn't know and that was what worried him. He sighed and turned over the paper, ready to read his schedule.

 _ **HARRY JAMES POTTER**_

 _ **DISORDERLY ID: 748110196**_

 _ **MEAL PIN: 19312**_

 _ **Schedule:**_

 _5:00am-wake up_

 _6:30am-breakfast_

 _7:10am-reflection_

 _7:15am-art wind down_

 _8:30am-1st council_

 _9:45am-review_

 _11:00am-history of violence_

 _12:30-lunch_

 _1:10-reflection_

 _1:15-kitchen duty_

 _6:00-dinner_

 _6:50-reflection_

 _7:00-2nd council_

 _8:15-preparation for lights out_

 _9:00-lights out_

Harry wasn't sure how long he stared at the schedule in front of him, trying to make sense of it. He couldn't quite believe that his life over the summer was planned out by the hour. This was his daily schedule, one he couldn't break without getting punished. He didn't even get weekends off, did he? Harry flipped the sheet over and skimmed, looking for any sign but it said nothing about the weekends.

Harry sighed heavily and folded the sheet, slipping it in his pocket. With a jolt, Harry sat up straight. He scrambled to his jeans he had changed from and frantically searched pockets. With an explosive relieved breath, Harry pulled out his wand. He looked around, wondering where to put it. There would be inspections and they could search anything. But, what about under his mattress? He doubted he'd break it and the adults wouldn't flip the bed unless there was call for suspicion. Harry could hide it, that much was for sure. Quickly, he slipped his wand under the mattress at where his head would rest.

He took a deep steadying breath and folded his jeans back. He sat on the bed, not able to think of it as his yet. He wondered what Ron was doing right now or Hermione or Remus or Sirius or the twins or Ginny. They wouldn't know about him being here and would wonder why he wasn't responding to any letters. Would they get worried? Would they investigate? Would they go to Dumbledore about it? If they did, what would Dumbledore say?

This was so surreal. He was a sixteen year old wizard, a very important one especially, and yet, he was being handled like a muggle deviant. He knew he didn't deserve this, knew it with his whole being. Yes, last year he had led his friends straight into a death eater trap and nearly got Sirius killed. And yes, his friends and Sirius had been injured. However, no one died and he had heard the prophecy. He liked to think nearly losing Sirius was punishment enough.

He wasn't a bad kid. He tried to stay out of trouble and do the right thing. Of course, sometimes he wasn't able to do that. But, his whole life has been about surviving. He had hoped that he would catch a break and just have a normal summer and school year. And now, he was here. His life really sucked sometimes.

The door burst open and Harry glanced up, thoroughly taken by surprise. Mr. Peters stood in the doorway, looking at Harry as a hawk would look at a very small dog to see if it was possibly edible. He looked away and around the room. Harry stood up, feeling awkward. It was like when his uncle Vernon would enter his room unannounced. Mr. Peters, after scanning the room as if Harry had hidden drugs, stepped up to Harry and held out a small ziplock bag.

"You have ten minutes, hurry up." Mr. Peters said curtly. Harry grabbed the bag and looked in it.

It held toothpaste a toothbrush, floss, and an actual brush. It was all generic, which wasn't a far cry from what he was normally given by his relatives. There wasn't that much difference but Harry felt uneasy anyway. He sighed and walked over to the sink and mirror. Ten minutes? Okay, he could manage that.

And, he did.

"You did see the brush in there, yes?" Mr. Peters asked, faintly disdainful, and flicked his eyes to stare at his unruly hair. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Yes. You saw me use it." Harry pointed out. He'd watched Mr. Peters watch his every move in the mirror.

"Didn't work, obviously."

"I know." Harry said, somewhat proudly.

"Right then. Give it here." Mr. Peters muttered and grabbed the bag, sealing it back. He took out a marker and wrote Harry's full name on it, smudging the last few letters in his first name so it looked like 'Hally'.

"What now?" Harry asked.

"Now, you follow me out to the hallway." Mr. Peters said, waving Harry on.

Harry walked out, ruffling his hair some more. It felt somehow like being rebellious. It was about like when he deliberately didn't brush his hair after a night's sleep to annoy his aunt. Mr. Peters led him out and to the right where he came to stand behind someone. Someone as short as he, damp curls that was as black as his, and a uniform just like his. The person turned and Harry barely recognized her.

Em.

Except, he did recognize her. She looked so familiar that it was scary. She looked just like him, just more feminine. Her eyes were darker than his but still a brilliant green that he had and her hair was longer, curlier, but just as black and slightly messy. With the purple in her hair and her piercings gone, it was like looking in a softened mirror. It was bizarre and for a moment, they just stared at each other in shock.

"You- We... You look different..." He murmured quietly, taking in the size of her eyes. As big as his, they were.

Em didn't reply, something that reminded Harry that she was mute. Somehow, in his shock, he had forgotten. She just stared at him, her eyes running over him as if she had just met him for the very first time. Then, the line that they were in started moving and she turned around and followed. Harry stared at the back of her unruly hair and followed as well, equally lost in thought as he suspected she was.

The next door they stopped at, a chubby African-American girl stepped out. She looked at her shoes but Harry could see the scowl on her face. When she came to stand behind Harry, she looked up to a cluster of other disorderlies with a longing look. He could tell she wanted to be up there with them and he shuffled to the left, giving her the option to slip by. She shot a look at the few adults walking with them and noticed they didn't appear to be paying attention. The girl nodded at Harry and slipped by, the adults were none the wiser about it.

Next, Josh stepped out. Harry blinked in surprise at his appearance. His hair was damp and as curly as Em's, only neater and held an almost blue hue, giving an ebony shade to his hair. His eyes were bright, far outshining his dull uniform that matched Harry's. His hair was down and swaying across his shoulders. His tattoo was more visible than earlier, revealing neat and beautifully cursive words. The words 'When injustice becomes law, rebellion becomes duty' were starting at the curve of his neck and ending on his collarbone. Despite losing his troublemaker appearance, he still managed to pull off a mischievous vibe.

"Alright there, Em, Harry?" Josh whispered as he came to stand behind Harry.

"I'm okay." Harry replied and Em turned around to flash them both a smile that revealed dimples.

"Hey... You two look a lot alike. Did you know?" Josh murmured, smirking slightly.

"Yeah, I- uh, well I might've noticed that." Harry admitted. Em chuckled silently and nodded.

"Could be twins, really. Lose all the medal, Em, and you look just like his twin."

"Well, you look different, too." Harry muttered.

"Still sexy, though, right?" Josh asked, arching an eyebrow cockily and winking at Em.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." Harry said lightly.

They fell silent as the next few disorderlies came to the end of the line. Three doors down from Josh, Nick resurfaced. He looked the same but the grey uniform made him look more gaunt, more haunted. His pale brown eyes, pale sandy hair, pale skin, and pale uniform all made him look otherworldly and not in a good way. A mere door down, Olivia walked out. As opposed to Nick, she managed to stay vibrant in her uniform. Her face was fresh and rosy cheeked and her hair was red as ever. They continued on.

They were led back to the cafeteria that was rearranged. It was filled with tables that had attached circle seats. They were led through the back doors and into an open area. To the right, there was basketball goals without the nets and tetherball poles without the balls or rope. To the left, there was one big tree. The rest was just open ground, brown dead grass and cracked concrete.

"Alright, disorderlies. You have your day. Tomorrow, schedules start. Beat it." Mr. Peters called out.

At his words, the line broke up and multiple groups dispersed. About twelve adults walked out, holding their sticks and watching the kids like hawks. Josh walked over to Nick, throwing his arm over his shoulder. Olivia walked to Nick's open side. Harry, admittedly, felt a little uncertain. He jumped when Em came to his side and got his attention.

"Hey." Harry greeted. Em smiled a tiny smile and nodded at him.

"We have free time, then?" He asked. She nodded again and he hummed lightly.

"We can just do whatever we want?" Harry asked skeptically. He looked over and Em had an eyebrow arched, looking at him like she expected more of him.

"Right. Within reason, of course."

"So, what do you normally do?" He asked after a beat of silence. He nodded his head towards the other three ahead of them. He paused and his eyebrows shot up to see Olivia's fingers threaded through Nick's.

"Are they-" He started but abruptly cut himself off as Em's fingers lightly touched his elbow. He turned and she was shaking her head at him. He frowned and she rolled her eyes.

"What?" He asked but she didn't respond.

She continued to just stare at him and it hit him that she wasn't going to speak. He wondered if she chose to never talk or if she was physically unable to. Her green eyes stared back at him and slowly, she smiled a knowing smile. He thought that maybe she knew what he was thinking and maybe it amused her. She let her hand run down his arm and threaded her fingers through his. He blushed, of course.

"Er..." He choked out. She rolled her eyes again and squeezed his fingers. For the briefest moment, he allowed himself to just think about the gesture. It was almost comforting, not even romantic really. Before he knew it, his fingers relaxed and he squeezed back.

"Oi! Come on over to our tree!" Josh called out to them, briefly turning towards them and smiling.

And then, Em was pulling him by their interlocked fingers towards the large tree he had seen. He watched as the others reached the tree and all sat down. Nick leaned against the bark with his legs splayed out before him. Josh actually half sat, half laid down on the ground, resting his head on Nick's lap. Only he could make that look so cool. Olivia then plopped down right on top of Josh, making sure that only her feet touched the dirt. Upon arrival, Em dropped his hand and walked right up to Nick.

Harry watched in slight awe as Nick braced his hands and allowed her to sit her foot in his palms. Em reached up and bounced just as Nick pushed her up, working in sync as if it was a practiced routine. Harry couldn't believe it but Em's hands grasped one of the thick branches high above them and she braced her feet against the trunk. She shimmied and climbed her way up, twisting and scooting to sit on the branch. Her legs dangled and she grinned down at everyone, waving playfully and breathing in deeply.

"Isn't she afraid she'll fall?" Harry blurted out.

"Oh no. Em's been doing that for years. Loves heights, she does." Nick murmured.

"Mhm. Personally, I prefer my feet to be on the ground. I get the feeling that if Em could, she would fly like a bird." Olivia mused, tilting her head back and smiling up at Em. Harry thought about his beloved Firebolt and his chest gave a little pang.

"Come and sit down, Harry." Josh said with a contented sigh.

"Sit by me so I can put my legs in your lap." Olivia demanded with a goofy smile. Harry couldn't help but laugh as he walked over and sank down at Josh's side. Olivia put her legs in his lap immediately and smiled happily. Josh reached over and started caressing Harry's ankle, winking playfully.

"She's been wanting to be able to sit and never touch this ground for ages." Nick laughed, his eyes blinking frantically. Olivia simply nodded.

"Josh is such a doll, letting me sit on him, and now, you are holding my legs and feet for me. Really, boys, I do feel special." Olivia teased, twirling her red hair and blowing a kiss at both Harry and Josh.

"You shouldn't. Truly, I'm benefiting from the placement of your arse." Josh snickered, wiggling his hips and waggling his eyebrows. Olivia smacked his chest and huffed, shooting him a mock glare.

"Right."

"And, Harry here is just a nice bloke, I believe." Josh commented, rubbing Harry's ankle more firmly. It felt nice, actually, and Harry fought a blush.

"Well, just know, Harry, that with me, nice blokes don't finish last." Olivia said in a breathy voice and a heavy sultry look, winking exaggeratedly.

Harry's eyes widened and he panicked, put on the spot and unsure. Then, Josh, Nick, and Olivia all burst out into laughter. Harry realized they were taking the mickey and growled playfully, pushing Olivia's knees slightly and huffing. However, after a moment, he joined in and laughed with them. Looking up, Em was laughing silently. His laughter died gradually.

"Hey, Josh...?" Nick said suddenly. He reached out and his voice still held the question as he touched Josh's hair lightly.

"Yeah, go for it, mate." Josh said with a small long suffering sigh.

Harry watched as Nick slumped in relief, a tenseness that Harry hadn't picked up on loosening out of him. Nick reached beside him and started sitting small flowers and blades of grass by Josh's head. Josh adjusted his head until all his hair was splayed out around his head like a glossy ebony halo. Nick's hands stayed busy and he seemed to be more relaxed as he braided and tied the earthy objects into Josh's hair. Nick seemed to be at ease whenever he was fiddling with something. Josh met Harry's eyes and simply smiled as if this was an everyday occurrence.

"So, Harry... Tell us what's your home life like?" Olivia asked abruptly.

"What?" Harry asked, startled.

"What's your family like? Mum, dad, siblings?" Olivia reiterated, blatantly staring at him. Nick slowed his nimble fingers and his eyes flicked to Harry and Josh's eyes locked onto him.

"I stay with my aunt, uncle, and cousin." Harry said cautiously, somehow feeling that he was being eased into a trap of some sort.

"Parents couldn't handle you or didn't want you?" Nick asked casually.

"Parents druggies? Aren't fit to take care of you?" Olivia suggested.

"They're dead." Harry said flatly, cutting off whatever Josh had opened his mouth to suggest.

The others fell silent and Harry looked away. He didn't want to see their pitying expressions. That was one thing about being famous in the wizarding world as The-Boy-Who-Lived. Everyone knew his parents were dead and he didn't have to explain or talk about it. And, no one else was comfortable with talking about it either. This was the first time he ever had to explain about it and it hurt worse than what he thought it would. After all, he couldn't really remember his parents that much. He never knew them. How could he feel loss? It didn't matter because he still did.

"When?" Josh asked suddenly. Harry glanced at him sharply. Nick was still twining the flowers and grass and twigs into his hair and pointedly ignoring the conversation. Olivia was chewing her lip awkwardly. Josh, though, he didn't look pitying or anything really.

"I was one."

"You never knew them." Josh said. Harry's lips tightened and he wanted to be angry for it. Except, it was a statement. It wasn't said coldly or sadly. It was just a soft sentence that hit the nail on the head.

"Not really, no." Harry whispered.

"That's tough luck, mate." Josh murmured and met Harry's eyes head on, a certain respect in them. Harry couldn't help what he said next.

"What about you, then?"

"My parents?" Josh asked.

"Yeah." Harry confirmed, tilting his head slightly.

"They're perfect. Polished and regal, very demanding. I disappoint them a great deal." Josh admitted, shrugging. The smirk he wore was small.

"I imagine you would. But, maybe that's a good thing." Harry said and as soon as the words tumbled past his lips, he regretted them. He didn't know Josh's parents and couldn't go about saying things like that. However, Josh just laughed, his eyes dancing in approval.

"My thoughts exactly."

"What's your aunt, uncle, and cousin like?" Olivia asked, pulling the topic back on track.

"They're... They are so...normal. They want everything in their life normal and standard. They don't believe in imagination and hate anything different. To them, life only extends to what others think about them. It's all about gossip and thinking normal. They don't believe in a fulfilled life or magic or-"

Harry cut himself off, inwardly cursing. He'd slipped, he was screwed. He hadn't ever ranted about the Dursleys, not like this. It was just that Josh had been honest and Harry didn't doubt that they all mostly had troubled home lives. He knew they'd understand. But, he hadn't meant to drag magic into it. How was he supposed to cover it up? What was he going to say? His heart thudded and he hesitantly looked up.

"They're dull. You see the magic and imagination in life and they hate you for it." Olivia guessed. Harry didn't reply, hardly allowing himself to believe that they weren't picking up his slip.

"She's right, isn't she?" Nick asked, his pale eyes froze onto Harry.

"Yeah... She is." Harry murmured, clearing the lump out of his throat.

"I never have met my father. He left when I was a baby and my mum tried to raise me. She just couldn't stay sober to do it. When the social services picked me up, I was half starved and drugged up on who knows what." Nick said, not blinking once.

This one time, he looked completely focused and serious. Harry was afraid to blink and his mind whirred at the new information. What Nick was describing, it was...well, it was absolutely horrible. It was sick for a child's life to turn out like that. Harry couldn't imagine it, didn't want to. It was one of the reasons that he never complained about his home life too much. He, at least, had somewhere to sleep, even if it was a cupboard at one point in time.

"You don't remember what you were drugged up on?" Harry asked, knowing it was insensitive but not being able to hold in the question.

"I try not to think about it. Drugs fucked me up really bad." Nick said, shrugging. He finally blinked and went back to playing with Josh's hair.

"Do they- Don't take this the wrong way, Harry, but... Do they beat you?" Olivia asked, grimacing.

"No, not really. My uncle can get rough and my cousin will pound on me if he can catch me but... Nothing serious." Harry said quickly, frowning slightly.

"Consider yourself lucky then." Olivia said with a tight smile. Harry stared at her.

"Do you- I mean... Are you..." Harry tried but wasn't able to say the words. Surely, sweet playful Olivia wasn't... No, she didn't... Right?

"My mum died a few years ago. My dad's been a drunk ever since and well... I look a lot like mum." Olivia admitted with a small quirk of her lips.

"And, he beats you for _that_?" Harry hissed, his eyes flashing. Josh's fingers gripped his ankle a little harder, bringing him out of his angry reviere.

"My dad is a good man," Olivia began fiercely, "but sometimes, he can get out of hand. I provoke him, anyhow. It _is_ my fault. He loves me, he does."

"But..." Harry started but his voice broke off as Josh's fingers dug into his skin. He winced but got the warning. He quickly snapped his mouth shut.

"But nothing." Olivia said tersely.

"Okay. Fine, okay. So, what about Em?" Harry asked, tilting his head back and looking up at her. His voice lowered at his own accord. She was sitting with her back to the trunk and her legs crossed on the branch. Her eyes were closed as wind whipped her messy hair around her face and she seemed peaceful.

"She's a bit of a mystery." Josh admitted.

"How?" Harry asked.

"She lives in a nun school." Olivia said quietly. Harry jerked in utter shock and gaped at the red head.

"A nun school?"

"Yes."

"Like Catholics and priests and marriage to Jesus and uh...celibacy?" Harry asked in a surprised rush. Josh snorted and Olivia giggled lightly.

"That would be the one, yes." Nick confirmed, his voice betraying his amusement.

"Em?" Harry deadpanned, thinking back to the piercings and purple hair.

"Yep. I assume you can think of a few reasons why goody goody nuns want to send her to a behavioral center." Josh muttered, clucking his tongue lightly.

"So, she didn't even do anything wrong and she ended up here?" Harry asked.

"Not necessarily. Tell me, Harry. If you knew you were going down for something no matter what... Wouldn't you do something worth it?" Josh asked, eyeing Harry intently. His blue eyes glinted in a mysterious way.

Harry gave it serious thought. Warily, he considered what Em might've done so horrible. But, that wasn't the question. He thought back to when he was expelled from Hogwarts. He remembered panicking and considering running away with his wand and living on the run. It was sort of like that. If he was going to be expelled for 'breaking the law', he had figured he might as well truly do it.

"Truth be told, I would." Harry admitted honestly.

"Em's that way, too. She knew that they'd send her here for something as small as dying her hair purple or green. So, why not do that, something small, and something more?" Josh explained.

"What'd she do?" Harry asked hesitantly, not sure he really wanted to know.

"She'll have to tell you that." Josh said lightly. Harry blinked and stared at him.

"She can't talk."

"Not my problem. If you really want to know, you'll figure it out somehow."

"So... She's a nun? Or, is her mum a nun?" Harry asked, brushing what she did to the side. He wasn't certain he really wanted to know right now.

"Oh no. She has no family. She was dropped off at an orphanage when she was a baby. Apparently, weird things always happened around her and the people thought she was possessed. They took her and enrolled her in the yearly nun school, hoping to 'cleanse her' or whatever." Nick spat, making air quotes and shaking his head in disgust.

"No...no family at all?" Harry croaked.

"No records, nothing. There was only an index card in her blanket when she arrived. It read, Name is Emily Lilian Evanson. That was it." Olivia said.

"But, Harry, what did you do to deserve Karlbergs?" Josh said and they all stared at him expectantly.

"Would you believe me if I just said that they sent me here because I'm different and my family hates me?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Not likely." Josh snorted. Harry sighed and thought back, trying to muggle up everything he's ever done.

"Ah, well, once I set a snake after my cousin. Well, actually, I released the snake in the zoo and I laughed when it just happened to snap at my cousin. Er, I've ran away a couple of times. I went joyriding, also. I might've lost it on my aunt once. A cake dropped on a couple of my uncle's important clients or bosses or whatever because of me."

Harry stopped and blinked. It was mad to think about but there was even more that he couldn't muggle up. When he talked about it like this, it sounded so much worse than what it was. He gave a start when the others started laughing good naturedly at him.

"Obviously, you've got major behavioral issues!" Josh snickered. Harry rolled his eyes.

"And, what did you do!?" Harry huffed. Josh smirked.

"I stole my dad's credit card and bought four cars and then wrecked them all. I bought a motorcycle, got pulled over and it was impounded. Then, I bought another one and put it in storage." Josh said.

"You're joking." Harry muttered, his eyes widening.

"No, I'm serious."

And, Harry just laughed because _bloody hell_ , he _was_! If Sirius was a muggle, he didn't doubt that Sirius would've been just as rebellious. Josh looked pleased that Harry found the hilarity in his actions. He flashed a smug smile and Harry just shook his head. It was surreal how alike they were. And, despite how wrong it was, Harry couldn't help but find what Josh did as funny, though he suspected the parents were put in the situation of a lifetime. Talk about debt.

"What about you, Olivia?"

"My dad didn't like that I snuck out after curfew and sent police to pick me up. I resisted arrest and pissed off one of the cops by swaying his canine partner to liking me instead of chasing me." Olivia said with a wry grin. Harry couldn't help but smile ruefully back.

"And you, Nick?" Harry asked. Nick paused in braiding a flower in Josh's hair.

"My adoptive brother took something of mine and so I smashed his head into the pavement." Nick said casually, frowning down at one of the flowers that came loose. Harry's smile evaporated on the spot.

"What?" He asked and his voice cracked. Josh's fingers grew soft against his skin, almost distracting in how nice it felt on his ankle.

"I didn't mean to but when I get quite angry... Well, I can't remember. He's fine, though. I'll just be getting a new family when I get out of here." Nick murmured.

Harry couldn't reply, couldn't talk. His heart had dropped and his stomach was in knots. He stared at Nick, unable to make sense of his own thoughts. Nick continued playing with Josh's hair, humming as he did so. Olivia's feet were minutely pressing into his legs before letting up, as if to give some comfort. Josh was rubbing his ankle and it felt quite nice. And yet, Harry couldn't tear his mind away from Nick.

For the first time, he allowed himself to wonder if Nick had a mental illness. Something about him was odd, wasn't right. It made Harry sad to see him unhinged like that. It was when he was playing with Josh's hair and humming that he seemed so harmless and altogether vulnerable. But then, he'd smile maniacally or make nonchalant comments about bashing people's heads into concrete. It unnerved Harry.

He glanced away and found Josh's soft eyes on his. They were pleading and full of something sincere. Don't judge too harshly, they seemed to beg of him. They held understanding, seeming to know what Harry was thinking. Harry decided that maybe he just didn't know all of the facts, didn't know everything. He decided to just let it go. Be careful but not judgemental. He had no right to be as it was.

The awkward silence, only broken by Nick's off tune humming, slipped into comfortable silence as Harry relaxed. Olivia started drawing patterns in Josh's arms with her fingers, pressing lightly to see the difference in the coloration. Josh just looked up, peering either at Em or the clouds. Nick continued his humming and playing with Josh's hair. Em continued enjoying her height. Harry sighed and looked around at everyone.

He didn't want to make assumptions but the place didn't seem so bad. Many of the kids were walking around and talking and laughing. They all seemed to be enjoying the sun and just relaxing. The adults were walking around but weren't bothering anyone. In truth, Harry felt peaceful. It was better than at the Dursleys. He hadn't expected that. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad as he thought it would.

"Don't fall for it." Josh's voice cut through his musings. Harry glanced at him in confusion.

"What?"

"The false sense of security." Josh said by a way of explanation as if Harry was supposed to know.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Place doesn't seem so bad, does it? Easy and calm. Lax on the rules, even. Yeah?"

"Well... Yeah."

"It's a lie. On the first day, they let all the new arrivals believe that this is what they have to look forward to. Let them get sloppy and relaxed. And then, BAM! Next thing you know, you're scrubbing toilets with your toothbrush for laughing too loud." Josh said wisely.

"That's... That's terrible."

"They're morbid beings." Josh muttered, his blue eyes flicking over to glare at the adults.

"Thanks for... Well, everything. All of you. I'd probably be in trouble already if is wasn't for you all. Nick, Em, Olivia... You too." Harry said gratefully.

Nick paused and looked up to give him a genuine smile that lit up and softened his whole face. Olivia giggled and faked blushing but he could see that it warmed her heart for the gratitude he showed. Josh simply winked and waved his hands as if batting away flies. Harry looked up and Em was grinning down at him, her eyes shining happily.

"You're family now." Josh said simply.

And, Harry believed him.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Third Chapter, lovlies. Please review and give me some feedback! Enjoy! :)**

...

Harry loved Fridays. Out of the whole week at Karlbergs, Fridays were the absolute best. Everyday, especially Saturday and Sunday, was filled with rigorous activity. It was always some new rules of the world they had to learn or new job they had to perform. But, on Fridays, that was their relaxing day.

Harry had been at Karlbergs for exactly one week. He quickly learned a few things about the place. It was meant to be comparable to a prison and the adults clearly considered themselves wardens. There could always be something found for the 'criminals' to do, always a table to scrub or a sink to try and fix. The adults treated the disorderlies like they were always constantly on the brink of breaking the rules. Most of the other disorderlies stuck to their own groups and left everyone else alone, with the exception of Butch and his mates. Butch liked to stir up trouble.

All in all, Harry managed to keep his head down for the first week. Everyone did, actually. Even jittery Nick stayed out of punishment. But, Josh assured him that it wouldn't last. They talked about the 'first weekend' but wouldn't elaborate when Harry asked. They mentioned it was a surprise and grinned at him, promising him that he would love it. They claimed that after the aforementioned 'first weekend', the adults would start cracking down on the disorderlies.

The only good thing about Harry's schedule was the art wind down in the mornings. They went to a class room and were allowed to paint or mold with clay or simply draw. Now, Harry wasn't Dean by a long shot but he could admit that art was relaxing and fun. Josh was amazing and even Nick, with his shaky hands, was good. Olivia, hands down, was the best. Her projects came out beautiful and colorful each time. Em wasn't terrible and a bit better than Harry.

The counsel sessions were what Harry considered the equivalent to group therapy sessions. A large group of about thirty, which was all the residents in Karlbergs save for the adults, would gather in a classroom. The group of thirty would split up into about five groups of five or four or six between five adults. Harry joined Josh, Em, Olivia, and Nick with Counselor Gibbs. The man was burly and always hacking and coughing and wheezing. He had a large bald spot in the back of his head and he never failed to smell like gasoline.

The sessions demanded that they talk about all the bad things they ever did in life. That was it. There wasn't any talking about a better future or trying to do better. It was simply talking about what they did wrong and explaining how their lives impacted the world in a negative way. Harry thought that maybe this wasn't they way they should've went about it but Gibbs didn't seem to care about them anyhow.

In their history of violence class, they learned about gangs and juveniles and drug dealers. It was all bad things and everyday at the end of the class, they had to watch a video that portrayed a gang all being arrested roughly by smug cops. Harry wasn't into gangs or anything illegal but he had to admit that if he was, this wasn't the way to go about swaying them away from it. It was a half hearted attempt that no one even cared about, especially the adults.

Review was learning the insignificant things they learned in school. It was basic math and english. They didn't even cover real history or science. Reflection was the stupidest thing Harry had ever heard of. It was worse that the counsel sessions. They were required to fall silent and think about all the bad they'd ever done. And, they were supposed to apologize for their behavior at the end of it. Out of everything, it was the one thing he was most disgusted by. It was just...wrong.

Kitchen duty was alright. He had Em, who had a knack for cooking just like him. Often, they collaborated and came up with better meals, straying from their given menu. The adults turned a blind eye to it simply because it benefited them as well. They worked together like a well oiled machine, always anticipating what the other was about to do and always coming up with the same ideas. It was strange how they worked together like they did but Harry was thankful for it running so smoothly.

Harry would think that it's the best part of his day if it wasn't for Butch. Him and a few of his boys also had kitchen duty. They were supposed to clean while Em and Harry cooked. Of course, Butch had his boys doing all the cleaning while he terrorized everyone. And, like Josh predicted, Butch did enjoy bullying Harry. It was Harry's cooking partner, Em, who kept Butch away, always grabbing up a knife threateningly and staring at him in a silence that bore more promise than words ever could have managed to.

It was a surreal thing to see. When Harry first saw Butch, he had been genuinely surprised that he was such a bad bloke. Butch looked like an average bloke, not too big or tall. The only thing that hinted at his cruelty was his eyes. They were wild and always glinting in a threat. Em, with her small stature and tiny hands, would step up silently and face off with him. And, Butch would _actually_ back off.

But, it was something about the way that Em's green eyes would flash and darken and her fingers would flex and tighten around the knife handle as if she was particularly comfortable with her weapon of choice. Butch would try and stare her down but he never seemed able to. Her silence stretched out and would pin them all in place. It was always intense and only that kept Harry from stepping up to be the hero he had always been. There were some things, he learned, that he just had to stay out of.

The days continued on and Harry settled in, learning more about the place and people as time went on. The misfits had accepted him as easily as if he had always been one of them. It was different than his friendship with Hermione and Ron. With them two, he always felt closed off and stuck. Not that he loved them any less or missed them any less. It was just that, with the misfits, he was free in a way. He was something he had always wanted to be.

Just Harry, flaws and all.

Despite having the misfits, he still felt miserable. He would hold his wand at night and try and feel his magic. He'd never felt so closed off from the wizarding world, not even at the Dursleys. This was different. This was playing muggle and curving his lifestyle. And, more than anything, he missed his friends and family.

All the time, he caught himself thinking about Ron or Hermione and missing them. More often than not, he was thinking about how Sirius and Josh would get along so well. He thought about how Remus would love the mystery that was Em or how Mrs. Weasley would try and sooth Nick's nerves or how Ginny and Olivia would talk about hair and sports. Somehow, though, within only a week, the misfits had snuck in and twined themselves into his life. Being thrown in this situation and having them as support made a bond that he doubted would ever really waver.

By the time the next Friday came around, signaling that it had truly been a week, Harry felt like a different person. Fortunately, he didn't have to examine that so closely on Fridays. It was one of the reasons he loved Fridays. No reflections, no counseling, and no history of violence. On Fridays, it was just reviewing, art, and the jobs. The rest of the day was free. And, that meant time out by the misfits tree.

He was slipping on a dull grey shirt when his door was knocked on. That was the first clue that it wasn't an adult. They simply barged in whenever they liked, uncaring what he was doing. He shimmied the shirt on and ran a hand through his hair. It felt as messy as it did every single day, if not more. He rolled his eyes and walked over to the door, looking down through the small glass. Em stood there, staring up with a smile that revealed dimples. He opened the door.

"It's Friday." He announced as if she didn't know. She bobbed her head and smiled wider.

"It sure is, Harry! You ready!?" Josh burst out, suddenly appearing at Em's side, seemingly out of nowhere. Harry hummed.

"Yes. What about Olivia and Nick?"

"Olivia's doing something with her hair and Nick is out here." Josh said.

"Olivia's always doing something with her hair." Harry muttered, stepping out and closing his door.

"I said the same thing." Nick laughed. Looking at him, Harry saw that he looked more relaxed. It must be a good day for the pale boy.

"It's a known fact, really. Let's go hurry her up."

Harry fell into step beside Nick, well over his unease with the boy by now. Em and Josh were ahead of them, holding hands and bumping shoulders. Nick was constantly brushing shoulders with Harry and reaching out to touch him or play with his hair. It was one of the things Harry learned about the place.

Josh explained it as being affection starved when Harry had asked. In truth, he had never been comfortable with contact because it was so rare. But, as Josh said, that was just the thing. All of them were were lacking affection, whether physical or mental. And, seeing as it was so lacking, they all seeked it out in each other. Harry had to admit that hugs and hand holding and brushes of skin did feel comforting. It felt good to be in contact with someone and when he allowed himself to relax and just accept the feeling, it wasn't even as awkward as he first thought it to be.

And so, Harry slowly warmed up to it. He allowed Olivia and Em and even Josh to hold his hand. Nick would grasp his wrist but never actually held his hand, only doing that with Olivia for some reason. He didn't mind when Josh put his arm around his shoulders or even his waist. He only blushed when Olivia grabbed his arms and forced him to wrap around her waist. He relaxed back into Em when she leaned on him. He allowed Josh to rest his head on his shoulder, even going as far as to occasionally pet his long hair. Harry knew that if it was in a different environment or with others, he might've felt more uncomfortable.

"So, Harry, are you excited about the first weekend?" Nick asked him, his eyes darting about in excitement.

"You lot have given me no other choice. You all talk it up and I'm excited even though I have no idea what's going to happen." Harry said.

"Good. Clueless is always fun." Nick quipped.

"Were you clueless?" Harry asked in curiosity.

"Yes but I had no one to make it exciting for me." Nick admitted.

"Why not?"

"I was the first misfit, you see."

Harry fell silent and stared at Nick who was looking at him solemnly. It occurred to Harry that he may never quit learning about the group of misfits pasts. Every single day, he learned something new. Caught sight of a yellowing bruise on Olivia's back, saw a scar on the inside of Em's elbow, managed to glimpse a small burn on Nick's hip, was flashed a slash on Josh's arm. He'd see it, hear it, catch it, learn it, and suddenly, everything would become more real.

"How long have you been coming here?" Harry murmured as they stopped outside of Olivia's door. Josh knocked.

"Five years." Nick replied, fidgeting slightly. Olivia opened the door but Harry paid no heed to it.

Five years. Five whole years of Karlbergs. Anguish ripped through him and despite the fact that Harry hated the feeling when directed to him, pity settled deep in his chest. But, for once, the feeling was okay because it was justified. It was pitiful that Nick had been through so much. Sometimes, they had to play the life they were dealt. And, occasionally, it was okay to feel miserable for the luck.

"Olivia! You're hair is gorgeous, my darling. You must do mine like that." Josh gushed, throwing a wink at Harry to show his theatrics.

"It is pretty." Nick agreed, seeming completely at ease despite the previous conversation. Em nodded and Harry decided to let it go. He sighed and looked up at Olivia. They weren't lying. Her hair was pretty.

"I like it." Harry said, knowing they wanted his opinion.

He had thought that it was just them fishing for compliments at first but realized that they truly cared what he thought. They never dismissed his opinion, either. They let him have it and tried to prove theirs right if they disagreed. And, if they couldn't, they backed off and simply agreed to disagree. It was different than anything he had ever experienced and he wondered if it was like a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw friendship. He had to admit that it was nice.

"Thanks. I love putting my hair up and I figured out how to do it without a hair band." Olivia chirped, showing off her new hairstyle. It was up in a messy bun and a few tendrils fell down to frame her face.

"I miss my bun already. You seriously have to show me that." Josh said with a sigh.

"No, I like your hair down." Nick said with a pout.

"Yeah?" Josh asked, reaching up to finger brush his hair. He looked at Harry expectedly.

"Looks good either way. Both are edgy." Harry said with a shrug. By looking at his hair, it should've been obvious that he wouldn't really know.

"I'll switch it up, how about that?" Josh said, eyeing Nick closely. Nick simply nodded.

"To the misfit tree?" Olivia suggested.

"Onward my glorious minions!" Josh cried dramatically. Harry snickered and Nick looked affronted at being called a minion. Olivia curtsied to Josh and Em stuck up her finger and smirked.

And, to the tree they went.

…

"I think that it's called helium."

"No, no, no! Helium makes you sound like a third grader."

"So, what is it then?"

"Er... I don't know but it's not helium."

"So, you can't be sure."

"I am sure!"

"Uh huh."

Harry and Nick's heads turned between Olivia and Josh as they bickered. Olivia looked doubtful, tilting her chin up in a way that reminded Harry of Hermione. Josh looked indignant and slightly flustered, still managing to channel Sirius, though he'd never even laid eyes on him. Harry glanced up and Em was looking down from her branch in amusement.

"I think it doesn't matter. That wasn't even what we were discussing." Harry pointed out.

"Em's twin is right. My original point was that Darth Vader being Luke's father is the biggest plot twist in all history." Olivia insisted. Harry rolled his eyes and sent a weak smile up to the exasperated Em.

"No, I still think that Dil telling Fergus that she was still a he is the biggest plot twist." Josh retorted.

"Ugh, boys have no vision! Tell me, Nick, am I right?" Olivia snapped.

"Considering that I am a boy and have no 'vision' as you say, I'll have to go with Josh."

"Fools, the lot of you! Harry, Harry! Tell me you agree with me." Olivia growled dramatically. Harry sighed.

"I hate to say it as I am a boy and apparently, a fool, but Josh, mate, she's right. Looking at the actor, I bet you could tell that she was a he. You never even saw Darth Vader's face!" Harry said apologetically.

"Ha! See? And, no, Harry, you're not a fool." Olivia said, smiling saucily at them. Josh snorted.

"Apparently, not a he either. Ooh! Plot twist!" Josh burst out and then started laughing uproariously.

"Oh, sod off, you ruddy fool!" Harry huffed but grinned himself.

"Speaking of plot twists, what would happen to a werewolf if you put him on the moon?" Nick murmured, looking genuinely curious.

Harry stiffened and his thoughts flashed to Remus. Talking about magical creatures, such as Unicorns or Vampires, wasn't actually a rare thing among the misfits. They were a particularly strange bunch who enjoyed talking about anything under and above the sun. It usually amused Harry that he knew they existed but this time it hit a little too close to home for him. As sad as it was, he tried not to think about his wizarding friends and family that much. It always made him feel even more miserable.

"I suppose they'd change into a werewolf for good, right?" Olivia mused.

"No, it has to be a full moon." Harry explained before he could stop himself.

"Really? I thought they'd be slaves to the moon anyhow." Olivia said with a frown.

"No, a full moon is required for them to transform. Obviously, or else they'd be running around a werewolf every time the moon showed from behind the clouds." Harry said, shaking his head.

"But, Harry, you forget that it is always a full moon in space. We only see it as it rotates." Josh pointed out.

"Right." Harry muttered, furrowing a brow.

"Well, it seems we have our answer." Nick chirped, grinning sharply and tugging on Josh's hair.

"Bet we won't see any werewolf astronauts." Olivia giggled. Harry frowned harder.

"It's not fair, is it?"

"What do you mean, Harry?" Josh asked.

"I mean, it's just not right. Could you imagine being a slave to the moon for real? Imagine all you wanted in life was to be an astronaut and you can't because you're a werewolf. Imagine going through the pain every month and having no cure. Imagine being shunned, never having kids, being scared to be a murderer. It's just... Unfair." Harry muttered.

"But... They wouldn't be shunned, right? They are people the other time of the month." Nick protested, his brow furrowing.

"You know how people are. Judging and playing on superiority. Harry's right. It wouldn't be fair." Josh said petulantly, rubbing Harry's ankle a little harder.

"People suck." Nick agreed. Harry internally agreed, too. Olivia suddenly laughed.

"We're such nerds! Look at us, getting angry on the behalf of mythical creatures. If I ever met a werewolf, I would promptly hug him or her and remember this moment." Olivia said with a fond smile.

"Is it terrible that I just made a silent vow to do the same thing even though I know they aren't real?" Josh asked, his lips twitching.

"No, because I did as well." Nick said and Josh laughed. Olivia giggled and looked up.

"What about you, Em?" She asked. Em gave a thumbs up and everyone erupted into laughter. Harry couldn't help but smile, though it was weak. His mind kept looping back to Remus.

"Harry, are you going to hug the next werewolf you see?" Olivia asked in mock sternness. Harry dipped his head, amusement tugging at him.

"You have my word."

They all smiled and laughed before falling silent. Em went back to enjoying the height of the branch, closing her eyes and relaxing into the breeze. Nick went back to braiding earthy objects into Josh's hair, seeming at ease more today. Olivia sat atop Josh, resting her legs in Harry's lap, and humming quietly as she watched the other disorderlies. Josh stared up at the clouds or Em and had a vague look of contentment on his face. Of course, the comfortable silence was broken before they could truly enjoy it.

"Alright, disorderlies! Up, up, up! Time to go." Mr. Peters called out in his favorite toy, the megaphone. Harry hated it. Mr. Peters enjoyed getting in their faces and yelling through it.

"Oh, damn." Harry sighed, hating the idea of going inside.

He was shocked, however, to see Em scrambling down the tree and the others hurrying to stand up. All the other disorderlies were equally rushed to get inside. Last Friday, though, everyone had lagged and hated going in. Em latched onto his hand and pulled him along. All his friends had grins on their faces as they hurried inside. Harry wondered if maybe they had went mad in the brief span of al the last few seconds.

"It's the first weekend, Harry!" Olivia quipped happily and looped her arm through Nick's.

"Oh, is this the surprise, then?"

"You'll see." Josh sang, hurrying forward and gripping Harry's other hand.

Upon entering, they were ushered to their rooms with orders to gather their trunks and change. Harry was confused until he caught sight of his original outfit that he arrived in. His jeans, jacket, and T-shirt were freshly washed and laid out on his bed. Harry didn't waste time, shedding his uniform and putting on the more comfortable clothes. Although, they were still big and baggy and hand-me-downs, they were a comfort. He quickly straightened and closed his trunk full of greys like he was asked and went into the hallway.

The difference was startling. All the disorderlies were wearing clothes that they'd arrived in. Everyone looked more at ease and laughter filled the hallway. Harry looked around, hoping to catch a leather jacket or red hair. He spotted the misfits closer to the cafeteria. All four of them were crowded around a woman who was passing out big manila envelopes. Harry realized with a start that it was the lady who had stolen his glasses. He walked over, frowning at the woman.

"Hey, what's going on?" Harry asked Olivia. She held her envelope in her hands.

"They're trying to get their things back."

"Can I get-"

"No, you only had glasses. She won't give them back until we are officially released. They think since they provided you with contacts, they can hold your glasses." Olivia cut him off, anticipating what he was going to say before he could finish.

"They can have their contacts! I want _my_ glasses!" Harry snapped, scowling as anger boiled in him.

"I know that Harry. I get it, really. But, they don't care. Em used to be the same way. They took her glasses and wouldn't give them back. So, she started getting piercings, which they are required to return, just to get her glasses back. Well, that old bat right there started taking her glasses out of the envelope so Em couldn't have them. Finally, she just bought her own contacts and decided to be done with it."

"That's bloody ridiculous. How are they required to give piercings back but not glasses?"

"Well, to them, they are providing something in place of the glasses but not the piercings. They aren't allowed to withhold anything from you that they haven't provided something in placement of it."

"That's not fair! They don't understand. Those glasses are important to me. They're like a connection to my- Well, my father used to wear some like that." Harry said desperately. Olivia looked at him sadly.

"I'm sorry, Harry. That's how these people are. They don't care."

"I'm seeing that." Harry whispered, feeling as if he'd been punched in the gut. Olivia reached out and intertwined her fingers through his.

"Funny..." She mumbled.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Well, it's just that... Em said the same thing. You know, about why she cared about her glasses so much. Apparently, her dad wore some like hers, too. Now that I think about it, hers were just like yours."

"But, I thought she never seen pictures of her parents or knew them?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Well, she used to say that she could remember flashes of them. Of course, she couldn't really be sure but, having never known, it was nice for her to think that...well, yeah..." Olivia said with a sad sigh.

"Are they alive?" Harry murmured.

"She doesn't know." Olivia said with a shrug.

"I don't like her." Harry announced, fixing glaring eyes on the woman who had his glasses captive.

"Em doesn't either. No one really likes Ms. Heather but Em despises her worst. Ms. Heather returns the gesture just as strongly."

"She's horrid." Harry mumbled, glaring at her. He felt so much dislike for her, level with how he felt for Snape. It didn't make sense, seeing as he only had one encounter with her, but the distaste felt real.

Olivia simply nodded and turned back to wait for their friends, still loosely holding his hand. Harry watched as Josh gestured wildly with his hands and Nick had an arm wrapped around Em's slim waist, pulling her back to his chest. Harry realized with a jolt that Nick was firmly holding her back. He glanced at Olivia in worry but she simply shook her head. He sighed and tried to relax, watching Ms. Heather's every move.

He stiffened, as did Olivia, when Ms. Heather reached out and grasped Em's chin roughly. Harry felt his heart size up in his chest, his eyes widen, and anger flashed through him. Ms. Heather was clearly holding her hard enough to hurt because a small wince showed on Em's face. Unbidden, protectiveness and fury flooded him and he started forwards, only to have Olivia yank him backwards.

"Don't, Harry." Olivia whispered fiercely.

"Don't? She's hurting her!" Harry hissed.

"Harry, I know but-"

"But, nothing!" Harry snarled, snatching his hand free.

Before he could stop himself, Harry was striding forward. Ms. Heather caught sight of him and her fingers flexed as she _tightened_ her grip. Harry was sure that he almost truly and literally saw red. For sure, the edge of his vision went pink and he doubted that it had to do with his given contacts. He stepped up and Nick quickly stepped aside, freeing up Em. Harry didn't hesitate to reach out and yank her from Ms. Heather's rough hold. He glared at the woman.

"What do you think you are doing?" Ms. Heather asked with narrowed eyes.

"I believe I could be asking you the same thing." Harry snapped harshly, ignoring the way Em's nails dug into his arm. He kept her tucked into his side.

"Miss Evanson and I were having a little discussion, I do believe." Ms. Heather said with a too sweet smile that relayed her amusement that Em didn't talk.

"Right. I think you were simply handing over her rightful envelope." Harry said tersely.

"Or maybe, I was handling my...confrontation with Miss Evanson as I decided to." Ms. Heather retorted, reaching out to touch Em again.

As she reached, Harry squeezed Em to himself tighter. He just thought that Ms. Heather couldn't touch Em. Not Em, who protected Harry from Butch. Not Em, who resembled him, almost alarmingly so. Not Em, who was a short and skinny as he. Just not Em. Harry was prepared to keep ahold of her but he didn't have to. As soon as Ms. Heather came into contact with Em, she jolted and snatched her hand back with a small gasp. Harry blinked in surprise and stared.

"Or maybe, you were handing over her rightful envelope." Harry repeated slowly.

"Listen here, boy, you're new. You don't know the ways around here but let me tell you something, you've truly made a mess of this. Here little girl. Get out of my sight." Ms. Heather spat, flinging the envelope at Em.

As soon as Em had a good grip on it, Harry dragged her away. He didn't look back as Ms. Heather bitterly went on about him. He stopped by Olivia and finally released Em. He turned her to face him and braced his hands on her shoulders, scanning her face for any serious injuries. A small bruise was already blooming on her jaw and Harry's own jaw clenched. He lightly reached out to touch and quickly retracted his hand as she grimaced a bit. He sighed.

"That'll be pretty by tomorrow." He murmured. Em averted her eyes and gave a petite shrug.

"Harry, mate, you don't know what you've done. Once you get on Heather's bad side, you don't get off. She's rough." Nick whispered worriedly. He and Josh had followed them as they left.

"I don't care. She shouldn't- I will not just stand by and let her just... I don't care." Harry managed to spit out through clenched teeth.

"Very coherent." Josh commented lightly. He reached over to pull Em into a hug. She went willingly and buried her head into his neck, her messy hair brushing his collarbone and chin.

"I tried to stop him, I really did." Olivia sighed sadly.

"Well, there is no sense in worrying about it right now. The weekend is about to start." Josh murmured.

"Yeah, just let it go. So, what's the surprise?" Harry asked, trying hard to brush off the previous encounter.

"For the weekend, we get to go home." Nick informed him and he smiled widely. Harry froze.

"Wait... What?" He blurted out.

"Every weekend after the first one, we get to go home. Except, the first weekend stretches on until Wednesday. So, we have six days away from here."

"I have to go home?" Harry asked, completely thrown.

"Well, we're supposed to...yeah." Josh said mischievously, winking at him.

"Being away from here isn't our only surprise." Olivia said, smiling widely.

"Isn't that right, Em?" Josh asked, nudging the girl in his arms slightly.

After a pause, Em peeled herself away. She seemed to silently collect herself and turned towards them. However, as soon as she caught sight of Harry, her face crumbled and she launched herself at him. Harry felt on a fleeting moment of surprise before he hugged her back. They were the same height and her chin rested on his shoulder, her messy hair brushing softly against her cheek. Immediately, he felt better and could fully relax. She relaxed against him, too.

The group fell silent and stayed that way even as they were led out the doors to the bus waiting outside the gates. Em stayed latched onto his side and he kept his arms around her. There was nothing romantic about it and he only drew comfort from it. Butch and his boys had taken up back so they all found seats in the middle. Em simply curled up into Harry's side, resting her head on his shoulder and holding his hand. And soon, the ride smoothed out and both who always fell asleep on long rides, eventually gave in to the soothing jostling of the bus and went to sleep.

…

"Harry..."

Harry sighed and turned his head away from the whisper in his ear. His nose bumped into a soft pillow and something like hair tried to gag him. His eyes fluttered open and he saw that it really was hair trying to gag him. He spluttered and leaned away from Em's head, blinking blearily. He turned his head and jerked violently back when Josh's face was centimeters from his. Josh snickered and motioned to Em.

"Oh... Em..." Harry murmured, shrugging his shoulder so that her head would lull. After a few shrugs, she yawned and looked around.

"Do you trust us, Harry?" Josh whispered in his ear, making tingles go down his spine. He fought to not visibly shudder. Sometimes, Josh made him confused about his own sexual preferences.

"Yeah, sure." Harry replied.

"Okay, get off the next stop." Josh instructed him.

"What? But... That's not my stop." Harry said. Josh rolled his eyes.

"I know that. Just trust us."

With that, Josh settled back in his seat. Olivia and Nick sat in the seat in front of Josh which was across from Harry and Em's. He turned to look at his seat partner and she gave him a tentative smile. He returned it and she looked out the window. Harry glanced out as well, wondering what part of London they were in. All he saw was a few empty streets and buildings with small shops in them. Cars lined the streets but not a soul was walking on the sidewalk.

The bus started slowing down and eventually came to a stop. The doors opened and Harry's stomach flipped. For a moment, he considered not going. It would be stupid and most likely unsafe. But, it was either that or back to the Dursleys. Besides, he truly did trust the misfits. They had no reason to deceive him. So, Harry stood up and started towards the doors. He was pleasantly surprised to see the other four getting up after him and following. The driver didn't say a thing as they all got off the bus. It pulled away, leaving the five teens alone on the open sidewalk.

"Okay, so what now?" Harry asked, looking up and down the street.

"Now, we make you a true misfit." Josh said with a wink. Harry hesitated as the others started up the street. Em turned and waved him on.

"What if I don't like the process?" Harry muttered, jogging to catch up.

"I didn't, at first. I was scared witless but it feels good. You should do it." Olivia told him with a smile. They passed a few shops, one that sold bagels and one that sold bicycle wheels.

"Does it hurt?" Harry asked. Not that he was a stranger to pain but still...

"Depends on what you choose." Josh said.

"What do you think Nick?" Harry asked, knowing that Nick tended to be blunt.

"Even I did it. Only once, yes, but I did it." Nick said.

Harry mulled that over as they continued up the street. It looked like a simple street full of shops. There was a market visible on the corner but that was the only inconsistency of the block. Harry couldn't help but look around, craning his neck and staring. The signs and diversity of the places were awe-inspiring. Before he knew it, they came in front of a dingy shop that had a big yellow sign and flickering letters.

Josh led them inside and Harry immediately faltered. There were multiple fans going but the store was still hot. The decor was worn and something out of a biker movie mixed with pirate. There were black leather chairs and display cases that showed off all sorts of body jewelry. There were binders on top of the display cases open that showed tattoos. Harry came to a halt.

"You're joking..." Harry blurted out, his eyes wide. They must've been joking. The others turned to him, all smiling. They shed the pretence of innocence.

"No, darling, we aren't." Olivia laughed.

"No, no, absolutely not! My family would kill me!" Harry burst out, feeling his mouth try and gape open.

"I know! Isn't it wonderful?" Josh chirped happily. And, it hit Harry that they thought he meant the Dursleys. That too, but Harry was leaning more towards Sirius, Remus, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley.

"I can't!" Harry denied, taking a step back.

"Oh, come on! We all have done it. All you need is one tattoo and one piercing. After that, we'll leave you be." Josh soothed, edging closer.

"I do not like the peer pressure, you lot." Harry said sternly, trying hard to channel McGonagall. It didn't seem to work as Olivia and Josh laughed.

"Relax, Harry, it'll be fine." Josh assured him, swooping over and wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"No, you're not seeming to understand. I am _not_ doing this." Harry insisted fervently.

"I said the same thing. Harry, trust us. What's wrong with a bit of expression? Be different, be a misfit with us." Olivia said and Em nodded enthusiastically.

"Josh!?" A woman's voice called out. Harry momentarily gave up on fussing as a woman walked around the counter, peering at them. She was covered in nice tattoos and had gages in her ears.

"Natalie, love, how are you?" Josh said, darting forward to peck her cheek. The woman, Natalie, looked at him in amusement.

"I'm fine. What about you? I heard from Russell that you were sent off to that behavioral school again." Natalie said.

"Yeah... Well." Josh said with a sheepish grin. Natalie clucked her tongue.

"Shameful, that. What did I tell you? I tried to warn you about that credit card but no... Don't listen to dear old Natalie."

"What's this about old? You are as ripe as ever, my love. I've missed you, truly. Hey, where is Russell, anyway?" Josh said with a charming grin that had Harry fighting a laugh. He was laying it on thick.

"He's in the back. Why? Hoping for some ink?" Natalie asked, arching an eyebrow. Clearly, she saw through his act quite well.

"Come now, Natalie! We want your needling services. I simply wanted to know where he was so I could steal his wife away from him without fear of getting pummeled." Josh said with a wink.

"Mrs. Bijoro, please excuse this idiot. We are looking for ink and your services as well. We've got a new misfit." Nick stepped in cordially, smiling politely.

"Oh Nick, dear, what did I tell you about calling me Natalie, eh? Hey there, Liv. And, Em! I haven't seen you without your piercings in a while. Gorgeous, of course, without them just as you are with them." Natalie said nodding to the others behind Josh.

"Hey, Natalie." Olivia greeted with a grin. Em smiled, flashing dimples. Natalie looked at him.

"You're the new misfit they adopted, then?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Unfortunately, yeah. Couldn't really shake them. I tried, I promise." Harry joked. For a moment, Natalie stared at him stonily before she broke out into a grin.

"Yeah, happened to me, too." Natalie said and Harry exhaled quietly in relief. The woman was quite intimidating.

"So, Natalie, can we get you and Russell especially? We need Harry here taken real care of." Josh piped up. Harry quickly shook his head.

"Oh no, I'm not getting anything."

"Trust me, kid, you will. I don't condone people forcing people but you'll come around. Besides, the first misfit service is always on the house." Natalie said.

"I don't know..." Harry said warily, imagining Mrs. Weasley and Hermione shrieking in shock.

"Well, you all talk it out and I'll go get Russell." Natalie said easily and hobbled off. As she disappeared, Harry noticed that she had a fake leg.

"Harry, I'll get something with you." Josh said.

"Look, thanks for bring me here. It seems brilliant, really, but I'll have to pass." Harry sighed.

"Harry, come on. Think about how your family would react. Think about how you'll feel. Trust us, it is worth it." Olivia insisted.

"There is something liberating about decorating the temple that is your body. Harry, you can get anything, anywhere." Nick murmured.

"Have you all got tattoos?" Harry asked skeptically.

"And, piercings. I've got two tattoos, one on my neck and one on my calf. I've got an eyebrow piercing that I never wear." Josh said and rolled up his pants leg to reveal a small teddy bear that was missing and eye and had stuffing coming out. There was two blocky words under that read 'Broken Childhood' and Harry had to admit to himself that it was good.

"I have a small tattoo on my ribs. I have a tongue and nose ring. Trust me, when I tell you that I hate pain. It's not bad, I promise." Olivia swore. She then lifted the right side of her shirt and showed a quilted heart that was unraveling down her side. Inwardly, Harry admitted that this was good also.

"I have a tongue piercing that healed up a long time ago and a tattoo on my foot." Nick said, kicking off his left shoe. And, sure enough, on the top of his foot there was cursive writing there. It read 'Walk a mile in my shoes and instead of criticizing me, look underneath the surface'. Harry swallowed thickly, taken by surprise by how much the words moved him.

"Em?" He asked.

Em smiled wryly and simply pointed to her whole face. Harry laughed and nodded, accepting that. Then, she reached out, right there in the middle of the shop, and unbuttoned her pants. Harry blinked in surprise as she pulled her jeans down, peeling them off until they were around her knees. Harry blushed hard but it quickly faded when he saw the tattoo on her thigh. It was big and it was a motorcycle. No. It was a...

Flying motorcycle.

Harry stepped closer, needing to look again. Shock sizzled in his veins as he stared at the tattoo. It was an image he had seen before but only in his dreams. A night sky filled with stars and a flying motorbike, one that he recognized. It was Sirius' bike but in the tattoo, Hagrid's hulking figure was flying it. The large figure atop the bike was blurred, only the frizzy beard and his size were distinguishable. Just like in his dreams.

"Em told us that she saw it-"

"Dreams." Harry blurted out, cutting Nick off. His eyes snapped up to Em's, her green so like his. He had learned that the contacts darkened his original green. They had practically the same eye color now.

"Yeah, how did you-"

"Your dad, he looks just like me in your dreams, doesn't he? Your mum, vibrant red hair and bright green eyes. He wears glasses and she smiles. Am I right?" Harry said, his voice coming out rougher than he had intended it. Of course, Em said nothing.

She just pulled her pants up, covering the image. She didn't even nod in confirmation but her eyes stayed locked onto him. Something akin to fear had twisted into her features and Harry had to look away. It was ridiculous, what he was thinking. Just a coincidence, really. Despite the likeness of it, it must have just been pure coincidence. Just like them being practically twins was. Just like them both having similar glasses was. Just like them both having the same hair was. Besides, he could talk and she was in nun school.

"So! Tattoos and piercings!" Natalie's voice floated to them as she came bustling around the corner. It pulled them all out of the moment and they turned around to see her and a potbellied man step out behind her. He had tattoos all over his arms, peeking over his collar, and one on his hand. He was wearing a toothy grin and his eyes were a warm brown.

"Josh! Liv! Em! Nick! My misfits!" The man, Harry assumed he was Russell, said boisterously.

"Russell!" They all cried, save for Em, and smiled to him happily.

"Russell, this is the new misfit they've recruited." Natalie said patiently, motioning to Harry. Russell stopped and stared at Harry.

"New? They haven't adopted anyone in a while. Hey, how are you? Must be real special to get in with the misfits. I'm Russell, it's nice to meet you, kid." Russell said with a lopsided smile.

"I'm Harry. It's nice to meet you, too."

"Decided what ink you're getting yet, Harry?" Russell asked him.

"I've got an idea, actually." Harry said after a deep breath. Josh whooped, jumping over and leaping on Harry, pressing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. Harry laughed and shoved him off.

"Don't bat an eye, Harry, I'll take too care of you. Want the piercing first or the tattoo?" Russell asked warmly.

"Ah, tattoo first. I've got a clue about that. The piercing, I have no idea about." Harry admitted.

"Alright, then. Anyone else getting anything?" Russell asked the others.

"I actually want to get a belly button, Natalie." Olivia spoke up with a wide smile. Em raised her hand and motioned to Russell.

"Alright, Natalie, take care of Liv. Em, I'll get you something to sketch on. What about you Josh?"

"New ink, if that's okay." Josh said excitedly.

"Of course. For the new misfit here, it'll be free of charge. For you other kids, I want to see payment."

"Course." Josh scoffed and reached in his pocket. He fished around and it sounded like something ripped. With a grin, he pulled out wads of money.

"Excellent. Come on to the back, kids. Well, except for Nick and Olivia, that is." Russell said.

Jumble of nerves dancing in his stomach, Harry followed Russell past the display classes and past the chairs. The rounded a corner and even more chairs waited but there were only three. They all sat in one while Russell sat down in a swiveling chair and dug around in drawers in a desk. No one said anything but Russell hummed a gravelly tone. After a few minutes, he pulled out two pencils and sketchpads. He hummed in approval and handed one of each over to Em before swirling back to Harry.

"Alright, what have you got in mind, kid?" Russell asked easily.

"Well... It seems sort of odd and-"

"Don't stress it, honestly. You'd be surprised some of the tattoos that are requested of me." Russell reassured him. Harry cleared his throat.

"I want a stag." Harry blurted out awkwardly.

"That's it?" Russell asked, his eyebrows climbing.

"Well, no. I want the stag to be nuzzling a lily flower. Just that one flower and one stag. The background needs an almost full moon in the sky, two headstones, blank ones, and two figures of men kneeling in front of them. Just make sure that the stag and lily flower are the main image, though."

"Okay, now I'm really good with details. I love doing them. Anything else? Don't be scared to get specific." Russell said. Harry pursed his lips.

"Okay. On the figures of men, make one look tired. His robes would be tattered and worn and have patches. The other would look less tired but still tired and he would have the most grief. If you want to get even more intricate, add a motorcycle off to the side." Harry decided.

"Alright. Do you want any words?"

"Ah... 'Mischief Managed' would be nice." Harry murmured, feeling a slight pang in his chest.

"What format?"

"Loopy."

"Pretty, got it. Okay, so where do you want it?" Russell asked as he sketched on his notepad.

"My inner lower arm, below my elbow but above my wrist." Harry said, motioning to the place.

"Any specific colors?"

"Make the headstones pearly white." Harry said.

"That's not-"

"I know." Harry assured him.

"Alright. Let me finish sketching this and I'll start." Russell muttered.

Harry fell silent as Russell worked. He got lost in thought. It was true that he wanted to dedicate his first tattoo to his parents. It seemed right and he wanted some sort of connection to them. If he was going to do it, he was going to do it right. He glanced over to see Josh watching Em sketch, her tongue poking between her lips. Harry's attention was snatched away as Russell exclaimed happily.

"Got it?" Harry asked.

"Yes. So, what do you think?" Russell said with a slightly nervous grin.

Harry stared at what Russell had drawn. It was quick work but still beautiful. Harry didn't doubt that Russell would do good by him. He smiled and nodded. Russell didn't waste anytime. He pulled over all his inks and started up his tattoo gun. He situated Harry and applied the right things. Harry was worried and chewing his lip when Josh scooted his chair over and grasped his free hand. Harry knew that he hadn't started out simple but this meant a lot to him. Go big or go home, he supposed.

"Just relax." Josh murmured, lacing their fingers and smiling a smile that had Harry immediately easing off.

"Thanks." Harry said right before Russell started.

Harry wasn't going to lie to himself. Getting a tattoo wasn't fun. It did hurt and he squeezed Josh's fingers tightly. Josh didn't seem to mind. Russell talked to him, as did Josh, and kept his mind off what was happening to him. Harry kept sucking sharply in between his clenched teeth and trying not to think about it. He felt like an idiot. He'd been put under the torturing curse so a tattoo should've been a breeze. But, Olivia was right. It wasn't too bad or unbearable. It just hurt and he gritted through it.

Before he knew it, Russell was cutting off his gun and sitting back. He allowed Harry to look and with trepidation, he did. Swallowing, Harry glanced down. His chest tightened as he looked down. The tattoo was red and irritated but that didn't distract from the beauty of the image. His heart clenched as he stared. Russell had brought the tattoo alive, doing as Harry wished and more. It told a story, one Harry knew by heart, and made everything seem so real. And, for once, he was truly at peace.

"Thank you. I- Thank you so much." Harry whispered gruffly in awe. It was there, permanently on his skin. His own tribute to his parents and it wasn't being dried as tears did or lost in the wind as words were.

"You're welcome, Harry. Anything for misfits." Russell said with a small smile.

"You're amazing, did you know? What you do for people, it's fantastic."

"Thanks. Maybe that's why I enjoy it so much. Now, stick around for Josh. He's a baby in the chair."

Josh was getting a new tattoo on his upper and outer arm. He was getting a stack of euros and the words 'money can't buy happiness' underneath. And, Russell was right. Josh cursed a lot and gripped Harry's hand until Harry was positive it would fall off. Josh whined and huffed it out but he let it happen. Em finished her sketching about halfway through and joined Harry, grinning at Josh's antics. When Russell declared that he was done, both Harry and Josh sighed in relief. Overall, Josh loved his new tattoo. And, just like the others, Harry thought it was great.

"What have you got for me, Em?" Russell asked lightly. Em held up the sketchpad and Russell eyed it.

"Looks good to me. Mind if I tweak it a bit?"

Em gave him the go ahead and turned in the chair, pulling her shirt up to reveal her back. She reached around and unclipped her bra, revealing a skin clad canvas. Harry looked away, finding it weird to even catch a glimpse of Em. Josh, however, tilted his head and nodded in approval. Harry reached out and smacked him on the back of the head, making Russell grin. Josh rolled his eyes and walked to stand in front of her, holding one of her hands. He motioned to Harry so he would come hold her other one.

With everyone properly in position, Russell began. Em was silent, as always, but her hands clasped theirs tightly and she squeezed her eyes closed. That was it and after a few minutes of it, she relaxed her grip and eased the tension out of her body. Harry had to admire that. Though, he felt even more like an idiot because if Em could do it, why couldn't he?

Russell just kept working and the clock kept ticking. Once, Natalie poked her head in before immediately leaving again. Harry couldn't believe it but the gun just kept buzzing and Em just kept getting the tattoo. Finally, after what must have been hours, Russell hummed and cut off the gun. He sat back and tilted his head, looking altogether pleased with himself. He waved Harry and Josh to come look.

Harry walked around and peered at the no longer blank skin clad canvas before it. Now, it was filled up with a big tree. The tree top drooped over a rippling lake, the leaves floating down and hitting the water to cause the ripple. There was one big branch that stretched higher and higher. At the very edge, a figure of a girl, clearly Em, was standing in only a large T-shirt that fell to her knees, and stretching her hands out like a bird and standing on the tip of her toes. Her messy hair and huge T-shirt billowed out like the wind was holding her upright. It truly was...

"Beautiful." Harry murmured.

"It really is. I'd say it is your best work yet, Russell." Josh murmured.

"Thanks, kid. Alrighty, Em, why don't you go hit the mirror before I bandage it?"

Em hopped up and walked over to the mirror. She held her shirt and bra to her chest as she craned her neck over her shoulder. Her face lit up and she broke out into a huge grin. She bounced on her feet and nodded enthusiastically to Russell, her eyes bright. Russell laughed and held up the bandage. Em hurried over, the smile never leaving off her face.

"Know what piercing you'll get?" Josh asked Harry as they headed back out front. Harry shrugged.

"I was just think maybe my ears. Nothing on my face, probably." Harry admitted.

"Fair enough. Bennett, one of the old misfits, got a piercing on his nipple. It doesn't matter where you get it as long as you do." Josh said, winking at him.

"Old misfit? As in, there used to be more of you?"

"What? Oh, yeah. It wasn't always just us four. We've had a few come and go over the years." Josh said with a small forced laugh, trying for casual and failing.

"What happened to Bennett?" Harry wondered.

"He died." Josh said flatly, his mouth tightening. And, for the first time in a while, Harry felt awkward around Josh. He cleared his throat.

"I'm-"

"Forget it. Let's go get you pierced." Josh said with a tight smile. Harry got the hint and nodded.

"Maybe something edgier? What would you suggest?" Harry asked softly.

"Eh, well, I'm not really a piercings type of bloke. I prefer tattoos." Josh said.

"I don't know why. You're a pathetic sod under the gun." Harry teased. Josh huffed and gave him a light shove as they entered the area holding Natalie and Olivia and Nick.

"Save it for the bedroom, boys." Olivia mocked playfully, getting up and stretching. Harry blushed at her words and Josh laughed, leaning over to nibble lightly on Harry's ear. Harry yelped and shoved him away, hiding a shudder as best he could.

"Took forever in there. Happy with the ink, though?" Natalie asked with a smile.

"Yes, he did brilliantly." Harry answered.

"Ready for the needle, Harry?" Nick piped up.

"Er, sure..." Harry said tentatively.

"Where are you getting it?" Olivia asked, walking over.

"My ear, I suppose."

"Boring!" Olivia sang.

"Okay, seeing as you have the most, what should I get, Em?" Harry huffed, shooting a mock glare at Olivia. Em smiled and tapped her lip.

"My lip?" Harry asked incredulously. Em nodded and then drew a curve with her finger.

"A hoop?" Olivia supplied helpfully. Em nodded.

"What part of the lip?" Natalie asked. Em pursed her lips before tapping the right side of the bottom lip.

"Oh yeah." Olivia gave her approval.

"Brilliant. In the chair, Harry." Natalie said. Harry gaped at the girls in the room.

"Do I get any say in where this goes?"

"No." Olivia laughed and ushered Harry to the chair.

"Just go with it, mate. Girls know what looks good. My eyebrow looked good but it just wasn't me." Josh soothed him with a small smile.

Harry sat in the chair and fidgeted. He wanted to back out but Olivia and Em was watching him almost challengingly. Nick and Josh shared grins, snickering together over his obvious nervousness. Natalie started talking but he couldn't hear her. He had to swish something but he wasn't paying attention. His heart thundered and he allowed himself to wonder how he got here. How, in the span of a week, did he go from his normal wizard self to someone with a tattoo and a piercing. At least with the tattoo, Harry had some control but with this, he really only could-

Harry inwardly cursed and gave a jolt as a needle went through his lip. He whimpered slightly, having not expected it. Why hadn't he been paying attention? He supposed it was for the best. He hadn't been anticipating the pain and magnifying it so that was good. Natalie finished putting the jewelry through to replace the needle. Harry had to swallow a lot of his drool but other than that, it was done. He blinked and reached up to touch it. Natalie smacked his hand.

"Don't play with it until it's officially healed. Now, it will be sore for a while. Lucky for you, this particular placement only needs a few days to heal all the way. Still, keep it in for as long as you can and periodically put it back in over time. Alright?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Harry said, blinking as his lips moved awkwardly and slurred his speech. It was also swollen. The others laughed, Em silently.

"Well, Harry, you're officially a misfit." Josh informed him. And, despite himself and all the trouble he would surely get into, he grinned widely and whooped a bit.

…

"We should probably head to my home now."

Harry looked at Josh sharply, his eyebrows climbing. Em and Olivia were holding hands and walking ahead of Nick, Harry, and Josh. They were all walking down the streets and browsing through the shops. The sun was starting to set and yet, Harry hadn't gave much thought about where he was going to go for the night. It had felt good to just live in the moment and worry about the rest later. Now, however, Josh had brought up the problem with what sounded like a solution.

"We?" He asked. Josh looked at him.

"Yeah. I take the misfits in every weekend." Josh explained with a small smile.

"Yeah? That's nice of you." Harry said. Josh didn't reply and Harry got the feeling that Josh only did it out of necessity. If it was Harry, he wouldn't take anyone to the Dursleys. Harry knew Josh had problems with his family but didn't broach the subject.

"We cutting through the woods? Is Eric there or do you know?" Olivia asked, turning her and Em around and walking backwards.

"He's home so yeah to the woods." Josh said, wrinkling his nose. Olivia looked sympathetic but didn't say anything as she and Em turned back around. Harry watched Olivia slip her hand in Em's back pocket.

"Maybe we ought to give Harry a makeover when we get there?" Nick suggested but it came out as a question. Harry immediately opened his mouth to protest but Nick shot him a look that silenced him.

"Ooh, yeah! That'd be brilliant!" Josh said enthusiastically, perking up. Nick smiled softly at Josh's eagerness.

"It would." Nick agreed, looking at Josh tenderly. Harry couldn't help but feel like he was intruding on a moment and looked away.

"That okay, Harry?" Josh asked hopefully. Maybe it was the childish delight in Josh's face or the warning in Nick's but Harry found himself nodding.

Harry walked beside the two boys and watched as Em and Olivia's hips swayed in front of them. They were all talking but Harry fell silent, drifting off in thought. The long street was coming to an end and he could clearly see the market across the street. That was the only thing bustling with people. They were ignored as they all turned and walked past. No adults so much as gave them a second look as they passed by.

Harry was surprised when they cut into the market and he found himself looking at everything around him. It was all so...muggle. It was so odd for him to think that way seeing as he grew up as a muggle but he hadn't ever had any muggle experiences. The Dursleys always kept him locked up from the world. He never really knew what London held. He wondered if all of London was this dingy and grim and open.

"Oh bugger." Josh muttered suddenly.

"What is it?" Olivia asked as her and Em slowed down a bit to be closer to them.

"Dawson and his friends decided to go on a shopping trip today of all days." Josh sighed, nodding to a group of teens ahead of them.

"Dawson? Isn't that the one who lied and said you tried to sell him drugs?" Nick asked, his eyes flashing.

"That'd be him. The prat had mother dearest locking me in my room for four days. Trust me, starvation isn't fun." Josh muttered, glaring at the teens.

"Let's just keep walking and ignore them." Olivia said reasonably but she looked sour herself.

Harry could understand. There had been so many times that Dudley had gotten him in trouble when he didn't even do anything. It seemed that it bothered him more when it was happening to his friends than when it was him. Harry couldn't help feel a bit peeved off at the boy Josh had pointed out. They continued on and stayed far on the side away from the other teens. There were about five or six that they were trying to avoid. However, when you had tattoos and piercings, it was harder to be inconspicuous.

"Josh! Uh, Josh Reddick!" The boy, Dawson, crowed as he caught sight of them. Josh stiffened and stopped to turn and glare at the group.

It was four boys and one girl and they all looked so polished and posh that they might've given Draco Malfoy a run for his money. They all had pearly white smiles and perfect clothes, gold jewelry and expensive shoes. But, Harry didn't doubt they were trouble. Not with the way they were all sauntering over with sharp grins and loud snickers.

"Dawson and co." Josh greeted and Harry felt surprise flash through him. Josh, despite his appearance, was holding himself straight and sounding utterly polite.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the band of juveniles. My, I haven't seen so many outside of a cell in a long time." Dawson chuckled, his eyes raking over them mockingly. Harry gave a jolt when Nick suddenly reached out and grasped his hand, not his wrist.

"Come off it, Dawson, you haven't seen the inside of a prison ever. You'd piss yourself before you even hit the gates." Josh said and Harry watched as his stiffness relaxed marginally and he smirked.

"Not something to be pleased about, Josh, really. Having your name high of the police's list of criminals isn't something you should praise. Tell me, is mummy proud of her boy?" Dawson taunted, laughing with his friends. Josh stiffened again and clenched his jaw.

"Fuck off before I show you exactly why I am on that list." Josh snapped, his lips curling in a sneer.

"Oh, I'm not scared of you. Go ahead, touch me and I'll have the police on you quicker than you can blink." Dawson promised, smirking in pleasure.

"Let's just go." Nick murmured, reaching out to urge Josh on.

"Yeah, Josh, listen to your faggot friend and just-"

The fist came out of nowhere. Harry hadn't even seen it coming and it shocked him. He'd barely seen Josh's face flicker in rage before his fist had snapped out and connected with Dawson's face. Dawson gasped and stumbled back into his friends. Josh stood, his body pulled taught, as Dawson got his bearings. Harry only had a moment to think that this was a bad thing before Dawson retaliated. Dawson's friends rushed forward to help and well, they weren't going to sit by and let Josh get pummeled.

What happened next was just a blur. He didn't even hesitate to jump in with his fists flying. All he could think was that Josh needed help and he couldn't let his friends get hurt. All rationality switched off and he collided with one of the boys. Harry got hit but if there was one thing Dudley's punches taught him, it was endurance. He punched back as hard as he could.

For all their talk, the polished group really weren't fighters. They had no tolerance to pain. Harry had only hit his opponent twice before the bloke bowed out, laying on the ground and groaning. Harry whirled around, numbers going in his head. Four boys and one girl against three boys and two girls. It didn't add up. And, he was right. He caught sight of Olivia clawing at the girl but a bit to the left, one of the boy's had Em by her hair and was shaking her roughly.

Harry passed Nick and one of the boys tussling on the ground and Josh and Dawson fighting as he stomped towards Em. Harry had to give it to her, she was putting up a fight. She was just so small and the boy was much stronger. It wasn't fair. Em kicked the boy in the groin, making the boy release her, just as Harry rushed him. They went to the floor in a tumble of hitting and kicking limbs.

Harry threw a silent thanks to Dudley and Draco for giving him the experience he had. It wasn't much but it was enough to know how to get the upper hand. Three well placed hits later, Harry scrambled off the knocked out boy. He panted as he hurried over to Em and checked her for any injuries. His thoughts were whirling and his heart was racing. How did he always manage to get in some sort of trouble?

"Hey! Hey, you kids!"

Harry's head snapped up and he was stunned to see actual police officers. Nick hopped off the boy he had been punching and Josh ripped himself away from Dawson. Both groups shared glares but they were in agreement. They all scrambled up as about for police officers ran towards them.

"This isn't over!" Dawson promised.

That was the last thing they heard before they were running. Em grabbed his hand and they took off, matching stride for stride. He saw Josh, Nick, and Olivia split away but couldn't do anything. He just kept running with Em, away from the chasing police. He could hear shouts and people yelped as they were pushed out of the way but they just kept running. Harry never felt so alive. His adrenaline was pumping and he felt exhilarated. They just continued to run.

They ran even when they shook the policeman. Their feet crunched against leaves and they panted as they dodged trees. Harry hadn't even noticed when the terrain went from buildings and concrete ground to trees and leaves and grass. After about twenty minutes of running, he heard other feet pounding to their left. For a minute, he panicked. He thought it was more police but he was relieved to see Nick, Josh, and Olivia burst from the trees, running to meet them.

"Bloody hell!" Josh burst out, wheezing. They all came to a stop, pausing to catch their breaths.

Harry bent at his waist, bracing himself against his knees. All the exhilaration was still pumping in him and he just laughed. He couldn't help it. He laughed and clutched his stomach, still trying to recuperate from the run. Before he knew it, the others cracked up and joined him in his laughter. Em's was silent, as usual. After a good bout of laughter, he caught his breath and straightened up.

"Oh, Nick..." Harry said, catching sight of Nick's face. His nose was bleeding and his cheek was already darkening in a bruise. He walked over and reached up to gingerly touch it.

"Oh... Ouch. Jeesh, Harry, you're just as bad..." Nick muttered, wincing and motioning to Harry's face. At Nick's words, his energy filtered out and exhaustion settled through him. His face started to throb and he cringed. Yeah, ouch.

"I think we're all beat up." Olivia said lightly. Harry turned to her and winced. She had a scratch on her neck that was bleeding.

"We should get to my house. We should have something medical to help." Josh sighed, hanging his head. He looked positively ashamed. Nick walked over to him and wrapped one arm around him.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Thanks for sticking up for me back there." Nick murmured and he pressed a lingering kiss on Josh's swollen cheek. Josh winced but Harry saw the blush flood his cheeks anyhow.

"Yeah, no problem." Josh replied with a shaky grin.

Harry kept a big smile on his face even though he just wanted to sag in exhaustion. He wouldn't lie to himself and say that he didn't mind what just happened. He did. It wasn't the type of thing he did. Getting into petty fist fights and running from authorities wasn't him, not if he could help it. But, well... Sometimes, the situation called for it. The fact was, Josh had defended Nick and everyone had defended Josh. Nobody had asked him to. In that situation, it was the right thing to do and he didn't want to feel ashamed for that, nor did he want Josh to.

Josh led them deeper into the woods and Harry wondered where they were going. He noticed Olivia walking with a slightly limp and discreetly offered his arm for her to lean on. She did with a grateful sigh. And, broken as they were, they all still were together as they continued through the thick woods.

After a bit, a path became clear that they were following. As they continued to walk, the path became more prominent. Soon, it made an abrupt right and they followed it. They came up on a high gate. They all stopped outside of it. Harry looked around, wondering what they were doing here. Then, he got the surprise of his life when Em walked up to the fence and started climbing it. The others, tired as they were, followed suit with minimal grunting.

"What-"

"Shh!" Olivia hissed and Harry quickly fell silent.

"Just climb, Harry."

So, inwardly wondering why he was listening to them, he followed. Climbing the gate with exertion he already had on him made his arms shake. However, he did it quickly. He reached the top and flipped his leg over. He climbed back down halfway before dropping, groaning when his back hit the ground. Josh leaned down over him and smirked. Harry growled and got up, glaring at the snickering Josh.

"Alright, come on." Josh said lightly.

They were led straight and the ground turned into a hill. As they started to reach the top, Harry could see the side of a very large mansion. It was three stories and white with dark blue details. Harry admitted that it was gorgeous and it looked like something Draco Malfoy would live in. Off to the right, farther down, there was a lake with clear and clean water. Off to the left, nearer to the house, there were about seven cars that Harry was sure were expensive sitting there.

The grass was cut and perfectly green. The driveway was clean and chalky white. The two garage doors were closed. The porch had five big white pillars that held up another ledge for the second story. Harry gaped around, imagining Ron's reaction. Josh led them to the front door and Harry could hear barking.

"Not afraid of dogs, are you?" Nick asked.

"No. I like them, actually." Harry murmured quietly, his mind immediately going back to Sirius. What would his godfather say if he could see him now?

"Good because Jefferson can be quite intimidating. But, he won't hurt you unless I command him to." Josh explained and Harry nodded.

With that, Josh opened the door. Inside, it looked even more elegant and expensive than the outside. White and black marble seemed to be the theme and classical music was playing softly. It was amusing to think that Josh lived in a place like this. Paws clicking across the floor and a loud bark echoing pulled him out of his observing. A large Doberman Pinscher ran towards them and Josh kneeled down.

"Hey, Jefferson! Hey, boy! Did you miss me? Cause, I missed you. Yes, I did. Yes, I did!" Josh cooed, scratching Jefferson behind the ears. Jefferson's tailless rear-end wiggled and he licked Josh excitedly. Harry tried not to laugh, he really did, but he failed.

"So cute." Olivia sighed, reaching out to pat Jefferson's side. Em smiled and petted him, too.

"Adorable." Nick agreed, petting him also.

"Come pet him, Harry, and let him smell you." Josh ordered. Harry walked up and Jefferson sniffed him thoroughly before apparently deeming him not worth his time and went back to licking Josh.

"That was easy." Nick murmured.

"Mhm. Alright, let's hit the kitchen and see if we've got any bandages and medical alcohol." Josh said.

He led them through a large room holding a expensive washers and dryers. If Harry would ever describe the place, it would be with the one word 'expensive' and he knew it would be right. When they reached the kitchen, Josh immediately started rummaging through drawers. He gathered rags and bowls and even found the medical alcohol. On the way to the table, he stopped to the freezer and pulled out ice packs, counting out five and gripping them.

"You sure got us covered." Olivia commented idly.

"Yeah, he does." Harry agreed, eyeing everything.

Josh opened his mouth to reply but was cut off as a different door than the one they came in burst open. They all went silent as a boy hurried in. The boy had short black curly hair and wore what was clearly a custom made suit. He looked harried as he rushed in, his eyes wide and angry. They were light brown. Harry noted that the boy only resembled Josh slightly.

"Josh! What did dad say about about bringing such riff-raff in our home!" The boy burst out, glaring down his nose at everyone.

"Hello, Eric, dear brother of mine. Nice to see you again, too." Josh deadpanned and went back to handing out the ice packs. Harry put it up to his eye with a small wince.

"It is most certainly _not_ nice to see you again! Personally, I had hoped the juvenile center would've kept you year round. However, you have to come home. But, you didn't have to bring your pack of lowlives with you! Mother told you not-"

"Eric, be a dear and start some tea for us, please?" Josh said, waving his hand dismissively. Eric didn't take too kindly to being cut off mid-rant and started spluttering. It was rather amusing.

"That would be lovely." Olivia said casually.

"I won't fix you lot tea! If you want anything, you will have to fend for yourselves!" Eric snapped.

"Why, thank you for allowing us to stay. We really appreciate it." Nick spoke up, smiling innocently. Eric glowered at Josh, opening his mouth to fuss again.

"Make ourselves at home, you say? Thank you. I'm sure we'll have plenty of fun here." Harry said suddenly, grinning. He didn't know where it came from but he knew that what Eric was saying hurt Josh's feelings and he couldn't have that.

"That's not- I'm telling mother." Eric announced with a scowl before stomping away.

"I'd tell her myself!" Josh yelled after him and a door slammed. Josh sighed and went back to wiping off his knuckles that had dried blood.

"Don't worry about that prat. Let's just get cleaned up, yeah?" Olivia said soothingly. Em reached over and touched Josh's shoulder, smiling kindly.

"Yeah, yeah, okay." Josh agreed, seeming to brush off his brother's previous appearance.

They did get cleaned off and applied the medical alcohol to their open wounds. After that, Josh took them to his room. When Harry saw it, he felt nostalgia pang in his chest. It reminded Harry of Sirius more than Josh could've ever known. It had a rocker vibe that clashed against the overall elegance of the house. It was blunt and bold and Harry didn't doubt that Josh's parents hated it.

"So, six more days here and then back to Karlbergs." Nick commented. Josh grinned.

"Let's make these days worth it."

…

Harry leaned back onto the large bed with a heavy sigh, his eyes closing of their own accord. Sleep. That's all he wanted at this particular moment. He wondered vaguely how his life had spiralled down to being about living in just the moment. How, in the course of one week, had his life become so stressful that he could only handle it one moment at a time? He didn't know and decided to deal with that later. Oh, the irony in that. Sleep sounded wonderful.

"Harry, don't you dare fall asleep right there. We have to decide where we are all sleeping."

Harry cracked open one eye and saw Olivia standing by his head and glaring down at him playfully. He groaned and reluctantly sat up. The bed was quite comfortable, nearly perfect. It was as large as it was comfortable. Harry was sure it could hold all five of them and still have more room. He stood up and fiddled with his new shirt. Josh had taken him up on that promised makeover. Harry didn't mind simply because it made Josh happier.

"Alright, hurry up then." He grumbled.

"I claim that end facing the door." Nick said quickly. Em started hopping up and down, pointing frantically by the wall.

"Okay, Em has the wall. What about you boys?" Olivia asked, eyeing them intently.

"I'll sleep by Nick, if that's okay." Josh said, feigning nonchalance. Nick smiled at him.

"I'm in the middle." Olivia said, turning to Harry with a sheepish grin. Harry shrugged.

"I'll sleep between you and Em, then." Harry confirmed. Olivia giggled and poked him and Josh in the arms simultaneously.

"I'm warning you right now, boys, I'm a cuddler."

"We know, Olivia, we know." Josh said, rolling his eyes. Nick and Em grinned and nodded.

"Alright, let's get comfortable then." Olivia announced and then, without preamble, kicked off her shoes and started pulling her pants off.

"Woah, woah! What are you doing!?" Harry squawked, blushing hard. Olivia was different then Em. Somehow, looking at Olivia was more significant than looking at Em. Harry couldn't help but note that Olivia was attractive. Not that Em was not but he just didn't look at her like that.

"Chillax, Potter. You can't expect me to sleep in jeans, can you?" Olivia laughed.

"Aw, innocent Harry can't handle the flash of thighs!" Josh teased. Olivia laughed and stood up on the bed, swaying her hips and winking at Harry. He blushed furiously and looked away, only to see Em in just her tight shirt and knickers. Harry quickly looked away.

"Don't sweat it, Harry. If we were going to try anything, you'd know it." Olivia reassured him, flopping down on the bed ungracefully.

"Right but-" Harry cut himself off to feel Em tapping his shoulder. He turned to her, eyebrow raised. She grabbed his shirt and pulled at it, trying to take it off.

"She wants your shirt, mate." Nick told him. Harry hesitated but she just nodded more impatiently. Em wriggled her fingers to urge him on.

"Okay..." He said awkwardly and quickly peeled off his new shirt. Em took it with a smile before taking her own shirt off, revealing her black bra. Harry turned narrowed eyes on Josh who was surprisingly not looking. Em slipped his shirt on, it coming to a bit above her knees.

"Want to borrow some pajama bottoms, Harry?" Josh asked. Harry nodded and Josh walked away to rummage around in his closet.

"Don't take what Olivia said the wrong way, Harry." Nick whispered to him.

"Oh no, I don't- I just... Well, I'm a bit shy." Harry stuttered with a sigh.

"I was too, actually. Olivia is really outgoing and she's good at bringing people out of their shell. But, she's also blunt. If she wants to do something or wants to be with you, she won't hesitate to tell you."

"Yeah?" Harry asked in surprise, eyeing Olivia who was making the bed with Em.

"Mhm. One of the older misfits, Bennett, used to have a thing with her. They got together because Olivia told him that she wanted to snog him but only casually fool around. Bennett agreed and they had a small fling. She really speaks her mind."

"Josh mentioned Bennett once, said he died. Did she- I mean, is she okay about it...?" Harry asked with a small frown. Nick sighed.

"The thing about Bennett was that he was sort of unpredictable. Olivia lives her life to the fullest, doing what she wants no matter what. They were a reckless pair and only good physically. They stayed friends even after they stopped fooling around. Occasionally, though, we'd catch them sharing a small snog."

"And, when he died?"

"Losing a misfit hits us all hard. Olivia grieved just like we did. The only difference is that she shared a few snogs with him. She didn't love him, if that's what you're asking." Nick explained quietly.

"How did he-"

"Suicide. It happens sometimes. Not able to handle the world and needing to be free. We don't begrudge him that. We miss him but we're happy that he's free. It seems grotesque but when the world treats us like it does, sometimes that's all we have to look forward to." Nick said with a grimace. Harry had to pause and push that thought away with force.

"Has she been with anyone else?"

"You have to understand, Harry. There is a lot of love between us misfits. Sometimes, it can get mixed up with feelings, real feelings. This bond that we all share, it only grows deeper with time. It's not like anything anyone has ever seen before. Somehow, we all just click. We fit. But, we're also so young. It can get messy and the lines will blur." Nick said, staring at his shoes. Harry didn't reply and Nick continued.

"Our name isn't deceit. We really are misfits, all of us. It's hard to find people outside of each other that can give us what we need. If we need something more physical, we get it, but never anything serious. And, yes, sometimes we do it with each other. The main thing is that we are all friends, first and foremost."

"So, Olivia wasn't in love with him but she messed around with him? And, that happens between you bunch a lot?" Harry asked warily.

"What? Oh no, not really. Me? I've never been interested and they accepted that. But, well, Josh and Olivia are really physical beings. There was another girl, Gertrude, horrid name, I know, and she couldn't keep her hands off of people. We, or they, seek comfort sometimes."

"You've been propositioned?" Harry muttered in surprise. He didn't know why all this was shocking him.

"By Josh and by Gertrude. I refused. I- Well, I want it to mean something more. Josh isn't ready to give me that and Gertrude hasn't returned in two years." Nick admitted, shrugging embarrassedly.

"What about Em?"

"Her and Olivia have their moments. She refused Bennett and Gertrude. Her and Josh has flirted but she's quite conservative. It took Olivia a while to score with her and Em never wanted anything serious."

"What you're saying is that I might get hit on by them?" Harry asked worriedly, peering at Nick in panic.

"Relax. They aren't blind. They see your shyness. They'll tease and maybe even flirt but they won't push for anything, if they even want it, until you're ready."

"Why'd you refuse Gertrude?"

"I'm gay, Harry." Nick said with a small quirk of his lips. Harry blinked.

"Oh. Right, yes. I totally knew that."

"Really, you can be quite dense sometimes." Nick laughed. Harry huffed and pushed him lightly.

"Sod off."

"What about you? Any preferences?" Nick asked.

"Well, truthfully, I've never thought about it. There was this one girl but kissing her was terrible so..."

"Probably gay then." Nick mused. Harry's eyes widened and his mouth popped open.

"I'd know, wouldn't I?" Harry hissed.

"Know what?" Josh's voice rang out as he walked up to them. Em and Olivia moved away from the bed, coming over to join them.

"Harry's sexually confused." Nick said.

"Ah. Poor lad." Josh chuckled.

"What's there to be confused about? Just love who you love and be done with it." Olivia said with a wink. Harry stared at her.

"But... What about types and-"

"Think I'm pretty, Harry?" Olivia cut him off.

"Er... Yes." Harry admitted, shuffling his feet.

"Think Josh is pretty?" Olivia pressed. Harry blinked and blushed brightly before mumbling his answer.

"Yes."

"Would you snog me?" Olivia asked clippedly.

"Ah... I don't know."

"What about Josh?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, then don't worry about being sexually active until you figure it out." Olivia said simply.

"Quite easy, really. Now, time for bed!" Josh chirped cheerfully.

"Still confused but like everything else, I'm just going to worry about it when it's a more prominent issue." Harry muttered as he quickly slipped into the pajamas Josh had brought him. They all laughed.

Harry sighed and crawled onto the bed to settle in position. He flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. His mind twisted with the events of the day. After they had entered Josh's room, Harry had been given a new wardrobe. It was only one pair of clothes but they went all out. Then, they'd watched TV and ate and ran around the house, playing tag. Eric was nowhere to be found and they used that to their advantage. Jefferson had enjoyed chasing them all, barking and running around delightedly.

Harry had wondered if that was what regular muggle teens did. Was that the life of some? Having friends and enjoying summer? Harry had been slightly envious. They had no Voldemort to worry about lived normal lives. For that moment in the day, he'd been truly happy. By the time night rolled around, he had been ready to pass out. And now, he was on the comfortable bed, in comfortable pajamas, in a comfortable position with Olivia and Em settled on either side of him, but he couldn't sleep.

"I don't know anything about any of you."

He wasn't sure why he'd said it but it was true. He didn't know their full names or their pasts. He didn't know about all the old misfits or their past years at Karlbergs. He didn't know their family lives in detail and he didn't know all the wrong they'd ever done. He was lying in a bed with a bunch of strangers and yet, he'd never felt so content. He felt the others turning towards him and settling down again.

"What do you want to know?" Olivia asked.

"Your full names. That'd be a start."

"I'm Olivia Marie Carlton."

"Nicholas Richard Patterson."

"Joshua Wyatt Reddick. And, of course, that is the lovely Emily Lilian Evanson."

"You?" Olivia asked after Harry stayed silent after a beat of thoughtful silence.

"Harry James Potter."

"What else do you want to know, Harry James Potter?" Josh asked politely.

"How many misfits have there been in all and what happened to them?"

"Well, I'm the first misfit. My friend, Daniel, and I started calling ourselves that after a bunch of the Karlbergs' counselors picked on us with it. We wore the name with pride, basking in being different. Daniel was shot in a gang related accident. A mere year later, Josh and Olivia showed up. Another girl, Eliza, was there but she never came back after one year. The next year, Em and Bennett and Gertrude came. Bennett died and Gertrude never came back. After that, for two years, it was just us." Nck explained.

"I just don't get it. You're all so...great. I don't understand what you've all done to deserve this, Karlbergs I mean." Harry said in frustration.

"I never really fit into the polished lifestyle. Eric fit right in but I didn't. I never wanted material things. I wanted time investment and emotional connections. When I was ten, my parents were in America on my birthday. All I wanted that year was them to spend time with me. So, knowing it was wrong but doing it out of severe desperation anyway, I stole money out of my parent's safe and hopped on a plane." Josh paused to take a deep breath before continuing.

"Everyone freaked out and I was all over the news. When I was safely returned, my parents were furious. They claimed that their lives were too busy to deal with my rebellious nature. They fired all of the staff and rehired new ones that weren't allowed to divulge anything about themselves to me. They were perfect strangers taking care of me. After that incident, my parents decided to punish me by always being absent on my birthday, year after year. To rub it in, they never missed Eric's birthday."

"I don't know, I suppose I felt betrayed. They say that kids act out because any attention, even negative, is better than none. I got worse, got into more trouble. They had to bribe the police a time or two so they wouldn't involve the family name in anything. I was always fighting and using their money on things I knew they specifically wouldn't approve of. I became a disappointment to them, became the son they regretted having. After a while, I stopped doing it for attention and kept doing it because I realized they wouldn't ever care. It became a sort of revenge tactic."

Harry had to admit, he was surprised that Josh opened up about that. Maybe it was because they were in his home or maybe it was because Harry had truly wanted to know but Josh had just let it all out. His tone had been ashamed and Harry had to go over everything he ever thought about misbehaving kids. Making assumptions about them, about the 'bad crowd', was pointless. Everyone had a story. Harry gave a jolt and his heart leapt when Nick started.

"I think I was six when my mother left me in our apartment. She had left, promising that she'd be back, and that was the last time I saw her. I waited for days but I started to get hungry, so I went looking for her. I only made it a total of three nights on the streets before social services picked me up. I tried to explain, tried to tell them about my mother, tried to make them understand that I wasn't abandoned and she was just lost. Of course, I was so young so..." Nick trailed off and gave a deep sigh before pressing on.

"I was the problem child that no one wanted. People only took me in because they were paid to. I was stubborn and different. They all thought I was crazy or had some mental illness. I bounced from temporary home to temporary home, never really fitting in. I was bullied wherever I went, never had any friends, and always wanted to find my mum."

"The first time I truly acted out was a pure accident. I didn't mean to, really, but sometimes it just happens. I was living with the Carsons temporarily and there was a boy up the street. He was kind to me, or so I thought, and I always assumed, since he was older, that he was a good person. He convinced me that if I were to get enough money up then I could find my mum. I was only about eleven at this time so I didn't realize how stupid that assumption was."

"At first, it was just innocent ways of making money. I'd sell lemonade and search under the couch cushions. But, the boy, Jared, had been specific in how much I would need. I was far away from that amount and so I went to him, begging for help. Well, he promised me that I could get paid if I just ran packages to people for him..."

Nick stopped talking and Harry could hear him trying to swallow the lump out of his throat. Harry felt his own lump form and tried not to picture a tiny, pale Nick being naive enough to do anything to try and get his mother back. Did any kid really start out wanting to do wrong? It wasn't fair because Harry knew that, under different situations, their lives would be completely normal. He heard Nick sigh.

"I blame him for using me in my original innocence. But, as I got older, I began to realize what I was doing. I didn't stop. It was working. I was making money, I was friends with Jared, and I was sure to find my mum soon. I knew it was wrong but not to an extent. It was just, well, I didn't know exactly what was in the packages and I never knew any names. And for a while, everything was fine."

"But then, my temporary father found out what I was doing. He lost it. He started bellowing about how he knew I was trouble and how only a retard like me could get so caught up in things illegal. I was frantic when he signed me up for Karlbergs. I mean, there I was, just a scrawny kid and really frightened of the real world. All I wanted, despite how unlikely, was my mother. I started acting out and running away, sneaking out to meet up with Jared."

"Eventually, I was yanked from that home and put in another one. I was officially out of the situation I was in. But, the social worker I had, kept funding me to go to Karlbergs. I was a strange kid, always angry and different, so none of my temporary guardians protested it. As I grew, I never got back into anything like I did with Jared, thank god, but I would fight with anyone. No one could understand me. I grew out of searching for my mother and realized that she'd missed out too much on my life anyway. I just keep hopping from temporary home to temporary home."

"Did you ever find out what was in the packages?" Harry whispered, his voice coming out in a croak. Nick gave a small short laugh.

"No. I'll always wonder. But, that's the story of my life, isn't it? I'll always wonder what it would be like to live in a permanent home, I'll always wonder about my mother, I'll always wonder what it would be like to be sane, and I'll always wonder about what is in those packages. And, I'll probably never know."

"That's okay, Nick. We all wonder what our lives would be like if something significant that happened, hadn't." Olivia said with a small sigh.

"Yeah." Nick agreed mildly.

"I mean, for me, I will always question how my life would be if my mum never died. See, my childhood was perfect. I wasn't raised in a broken home. I was an only child and had plenty of friends, was real popular. My mum and dad were so happy and I was, too. I started out a completely normal girl, not a troublemaker, and it all went to shit."

"My mum died when I was twelve. Her and my dad had gotten into an argument and she had went out for a drive to settle down. A drunk had hit her head on and she died instantaneously. My dad and I were crushed. After her death, I was quieter and more withdrawn. My dad and I grew closer. At first, it was just like regular grieving. We missed her."

"But then, dad started drinking. It was light at first, just a glass here and there for a headache. But, it grew. He started drinking bottles on bottles and grew bitter. He always fussed at me for looking so much like my mother, hated that I resembled her so. I felt abandoned and I lashed out. I started sneaking out and going to parties. I got rid of all my friends and started spending time with strangers. I went wild."

"I can't remember who took my virginity. I can't count on one hand how many times that I woke up on some stranger's couch with a massive hangover. I can't tell you how many times I've been high. I started skipping school and just stopped caring. I was a mess, really, and I missed my mum a lot. My dad had started hitting me shortly before I started all this. But, it only grew worse with time. It was always the same thing. He would get angry at my appearance and like the sick fuck he was, he'd strike me."

"Sometimes, it was worse than others. Sometimes, he would actually be so plastered that he thought I was mum. He'd... Well, he'd come onto me. I'd keep him away but he'd get furious when he realized that it was just me. He'd lash out, telling me that he wished it was me dead instead of mum. But, he didn't mean it. He loves me, I _know_ he does. He just- He misses mum. I'm not helping by all the trouble I get into. I don't know how it got so bad. I used to be a good daughter just like he used to be a good dad."

Harry didn't feel surprise when Olivia's hand gripped his arm as she talked, her nails digging into his skin. His heart broke for her. He couldn't tell her that what her father was doing was inexcusable. Her making excuses for him was horrid and Harry wasn't able to handle it. None of this was right, none of it was fair. Their lives were all shaped and formed to lead them on this path. But, if something small had changed then they wouldn't be how they were. They were miserable, just like him, and all they had was each other. It _wasn't_ fair and it _wasn't_ right.

"But, we'll all be okay. All of us. We will." Josh promised, his voice determined.

"It's why we all have each other, so we will be okay." Nick agreed.

"What about you, Em? What's your story?" Harry asked into the darkness. It was the first time he had directly requested that she speak to him. He knew she wouldn't say a thing but he asked anyway. And, like he had known, she said nothing. She only reached out and lightly touched his naked shoulder.

"Yeah, I understand." Harry murmured.

"It's worth it, you know." Josh said.

"What's worth it?"

"All this trouble that we get into, all this self-hatred we feel, it's worth it. The ending result leads us right back to each other and I don't regret that." Josh said.

"You know what? Neither do I." Harry decided quietly, staring up into the dark surrounding them.

"None of us do." Nick amended.

"When I first heard about Karlbergs, I swore that I wouldn't go. I was dreading it, scared of it. I thought I was going to be thrown in with a bunch of criminals. I didn't know how I was going to survive. And then, I met you lot and everything changed. I find that I don't regret it at all." Harry admitted.

"So, Harry, tell us your story now." Josh demanded.

Harry fell silent for a moment. They were all open and bare and honest together. The darkness made it easier to be honest and reveal secrets. Harry considered how they had struggled and managed to tell him about themselves. It had to have been hard, had to have been torturous. Yet, they did it anyway. They deserved the same from him. So, taking a deep breath, Harry opened his mouth and told them his story about his muggle life, including his friends and boarding school and godfather and professors. Somehow, everything he said, came out in a muggle way. And, for every truth, there was a lie. Harry had never felt so terrible and relieved all at once before.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Alrighty, darlings, I've got something else here for you. I'm loving the reviews! Thanks to _Ern Estine 13624_ for sticking around so far. Keep the reviews coming and I'll keep the chapters flowing. Ah, who am I kidding? This story is all I'm writing. So, this is another long one and I guess I have to put in a few warnings. First, I just want to say that confused!Harry is so adorable to me so I wanted to go there with that. As I've said, this will be a Drarry but that doesn't mean Harry won't have happenings with other people. But, Draco's time will come, I promise. There are some touchy subjects in this one but I don't think I'll be stepping on any toes, So, read and review! Enjoy! **

"Well, well, well. What did I say? Look at you! Tattooed and stuck with a needle. Alright, lose the medal, boy." Ms. Heather said with a sneer.

Harry sighed and reached up to his lip, removing the lip ring he'd gotten used to. She slipped it his envelope and he caught sight of his glasses. His fists clenched and he glared at the smug woman. She eyed his tattoo as if the devil himself had applied it on his skin. He defiantly left it on display as he walked up to the next table. Em was just stepping away, barefoot and without her hoodie.

He stripped off his borrowed hoodie, kicked off his shoes, and balled up his socks. His feet were cold and silent as they padded over to stand with Em and Nick. Josh and Olivia soon followed. They didn't talk, all wearing downcast expressions. It was hard, after the near week they had together, to be upbeat at being back at Karlbergs. The whole room went oddly silent, save for the few remarks the adults relished in sniping. Every now and again, one kid would sigh.

"Alright, disorderlies. Line up, now!" Mr. Peters barked.

They all did as he said and Harry watched as Mr. Peters pushed on some of the other kids who weren't going fast enough. He stared around, surprise lighting in him. Everyone had their heads down and was as silent as they could manage. Harry thought back to Olivia's warning. Her, Nick, and Josh had made it very clear that the adults were going to start getting rough.

Mr. Peters led them towards the counseling rooms, barking out insults gleefully. It was surreal to see the disorderlies getting treated so horridly. It was truly sickening and made his gut twist. However, bearing in mind what the other's said, he kept his head down and his jaw clenched. They entered the room and were made to break up in their given groups. Em, Nick, Josh, Olivia, and he all walked over to Gibbs.

"Great, just what I need. More time to deal with the misfits. Good weekend?" Gibbs sneered.

"It was fine." Josh said shortly.

"Ah huh. Look pretty down to me, Josh. Wouldn't be due to being back here at Karlbergs, would it?" Gibbs asked, eyeing them disdainfully.

"How did you guess?" Josh muttered. Harry's heart stuttered when Gibbs leaned over and clipped Josh over the head, hard. Josh's head snapped to the side and his jaw worked but he said nothing.

"Well, I'm not too happy to be here either. I'd much rather be out and doing what I want but I'm not. And, who's fault is that? Who, Olivia?" Gibbs growled.

"Your employee?" Olivia asked sarcastically. Harry was startled by Gibbs reaching out and grabbing the leg of her chair, tipping it back. Olivia tensed and gripped the sides of the seat as Gibbs rocked her, clearly threatening to send her sprawling.

"No, it's yours. All of you. Seeing as you lot are pathetic in the normal department. So, I'll ask again. Whose fault, Olivia?"

"Mine." She spat, her eyes narrowed.

"Wrong." Gibbs smirked, tipping her chair back even more. A small squeal erupted and one of Olivia's arms pinwheeled as she leaned forward.

"Ours! All of ours!" She corrected. Gibbs snorted and abruptly dropped her. Olivia sagged and closed her eyes, breathing deeply through her nose.

"That's right. So, misfits, I want you all to think about what you've done."

Gibbs sneered and stood up, departing to go to the snack table. It was known that only the adults had access to it. Harry stared, wide eyed, between Olivia and Josh. They both look pissed. He didn't blame them, knowing he'd be equally furious in their position. Sad thing was, he wasn't even in their position and yet, he was angry on their behalf. They didn't speak, all just sitting there glumly and in silence. After eating two donuts, Gibbs walked back over and sat down.

"Been thinking?" He asked. No one said anything and he sighed in a long suffering way.

"Harry!" Gibbs burst out abruptly and Harry gave a jolt of shock. "I see you got a new tattoo."

"Yes." Harry murmured.

"Well, let us see." Gibbs ordered. Harry slowly held out his arm, his own eyes locking onto his healed up tattoo. His heart still warmed at the sight of it. Not for the first time, he sent an internal thanks to Russell.

"Of course, only misfits like you lot would get such meaningless tattoos. What's that even stand for?" Gibbs asked, his curiosity obvious.

"I- Nothing." Harry replied, unwilling to divulge anything to Gibbs. The bulky man seemed to sense this and scowled at Harry.

"Stupid thing, getting a tattoo. It's permanent now. You can't get rid of it. As you get older, it will wrinkle and fade and just grow ugly. Waste of time and money." Gibbs growled, his lip curling.

"Thanks for your concern but I'll decide what's a waste of time and what isn't." Harry said shortly.

Gibbs face contorted in anger and Harry had one second to brace himself before Gibbs stood up and prowled over. Gibbs got right into his face, his twisted features obscuring Harry's vision. Harry reared back, the putrid stench of gasoline assaulting his senses. Gibbs reached out one hand and gripped the back of his chair, effectively crowding and trapping Harry where he was. Harry blinked, disoriented, and held in a flinch as Gibbs reached up to grasp a handful of his messy hair in a rough hold. Gibbs sneered down at him as he yanked his head back by his hair, forcing Harry to look up into his face.

"If we left that up to you, boy, the whole world would go to hell. You deciding what's a waste of time and what isn't, is exactly what put you here, needing to be trained to behave like an animal." Gibbs spat.

Harry clenched his jaw, his heart pounding. His mind whirred and he felt detached from reality. How could adults just go about abusing these kids? What right did Gibbs have to touch him? It was wrong on so many levels and his stomach churned at the thought that not one of the guardians even cared what happened to the disorderlies here. Harry didn't say anything as Gibbs glared down at him, refusing to speak. It was hard to do, to curb his natural reflex of snapping back, but he managed.

It was just in his nature to be defiant. He always had been. His uncle Vernon hated it and maybe that's why Harry had done it. He just knew that he wouldn't submit, couldn't submit, and wouldn't grow meek. He was outspoken, mouthy even, when the situation called for it. Otherwise, he was a creature of nerves and politeness. But, he knew that if he were to talk back in this moment, Gibbs wouldn't hesitate to punish him. And, by punish, he meant hit him.

That was exactly what he didn't want. It was demeaning to get slapped around and distractedly, he wondered how Olivia would be the headstrong person she was when she was knocked around by her father. It was one thing he could say about Vernon. He never actually struck Harry, not in the way that Gibbs would right now. A smack upside the head, a shove, a small kick, or snatching of hair was the norm for Vernon. Only Petunia had ever struck him and it had only been once. Harry remembered how that felt, how much it made him feel insignificant and self-loathing.

He held his tongue.

Gibbs did a sort of sneer-smirk that did nothing but enhance his negative appearance. In that moment, he had found someone he despised more than Snape, which truly was a feat. Gibbs gave one more sharp tug on his hair, lightly and mockingly tapped him on the cheek, and backed off. Harry tried to reign in his anger and managed to do so only marginally.

"Alright, I can't control myself around you bloody idiots. I'm going but you lot are to discuss all the questionable values that you all have."

With that, Gibbs stomped away, his hulking figure swaying intimidatingly. Harry breathed in sharply through his nose, his chest heaving. His lips kept puckering and twisting from side to side as he tried to tap down on his anger. Questionable values? Says the man who went about abusing children mentally and somewhat physically. He sighed and looked up, not surprised to find four pairs of eyes on him.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" Olivia asked softly. Nick was rocking in his chair, his back bending the plastic back of the chair. His eyes were wide and he seemed to be taking measured breaths.

"Yeah. You? He, well..." Harry trailed off, grimacing.

"No, I'm okay. Gibbs is a prick." Olivia said calmly.

"That he is. Always been one of the rough ones." Josh huffed, rubbing the side of his head petulantly.

"You alright? He's got massive hands and-"

"Yeah, Harry, we're fine. You forget, we are used to this sort of thing. Happens to us every year. It's you we are more concerned about." Josh cut him off.

"Don't worry about me. I will-"

"We will worry about you, Harry. The first year is always the hardest. Some can't handle it. I- We all care and we will worry. I'm worried." Nick blurted out, rocking a little faster.

Harry's face softened and he reached over to squeeze Nick's shoulder, murmuring, "I've got you lot. I'll be fine, don't stress too much."

Harry had taken that up as his mantra as the next week passed. When the weekend rolled around, he was thoroughly disappointed to find that they would be forced to stay this weekend. It was because they took six days the last weekend and had to spend the whole next nine days making up for it.

It was on Saturday that it became clear to Harry that Karlbergs was actually a place of hell. He couldn't even recall the time that he thought that the place might not be so bad. He had been fooled, had been hoodwinked, had been led into a false sense of security. Just like the others had said. And, where they were right on that, they were also right about the adults being rougher and harsher after that first weekend. Things were just getting worse and worse.

Harry was in the kitchen with Em, actively ignoring Butch and his three cronies. It was hard to do with Butch snickering loudly and throwing shredded cheese at them. Em was holding up the meal plans, inspecting them, her eyes narrowed. She looked annoyed and fluster all at once and Harry was vastly amused by the look on the girl.

"Em, what is it?" He asked. She silently huffed, slapping the paper down in front of him and pointing to a section. He leaned over and read it.

Ah. Harry reread the notice on the plan and tried not to grimace. It was hard to make the food taste good with what little they already had. Karlbergs had a low budget, apparently, and didn't want to 'waste' money on things like seasonings. They had discontinued salt and Harry could understand Em's annoyance. Salt was a very popular ingredient they used, making what little they had to be better. And now, they were taking even that away. He didn't know what they would use in the place of it, if they used anything at all. Maybe they would just serve bland food. Brilliant.

He sighed and pushed the meal plans away, giving into the grimace he wanted. It annoyed him what they expected out of him and Em. Each day, they cooked food for the next day and they were expected by the other disorderlies and adults to make up something good. Some days, it just wasn't feasible and the food wasn't all that good. Of course, they got blamed and they were punished for it. So, he was already irritated at the new notice and it seemed that he and Em were feeding off of each other, both getting angrier in silence. And, when a clump of shredded cheese hit the back of his neck, Harry stiffened.

His anger spiked and his fists clenched. First off, that cheese was also used often and they shouldn't have to make due with shortages of it simply because Butch was being a prat. Not to mention that the cheese was bland and had to be used excessively to make any impact. His eyes narrowed and his nails dug into his palm. Em reached out for him, somehow knowing that Harry wouldn't just let it go, but Harry danced out of her grip. He whipped around.

"Give me the cheese. Now, Butch." He snapped. Butch's earlier laughter cut off and his face froze before slowly morphing into delight.

"This cheese?" Butch asked, all wide eyes and innocence, as he wiggled the bag.

"Give it here. We use that stuff and you shouldn't be playing with it." Harry said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, I suppose- Bugger! Oops." Butch mock giggled as he purposely tipped the bag, spilling half of its contents. Harry just reacted.

He darted forward, his blood boiling, and snatched the bag away from Butch. However, the small victory was all for naught as Butch shadowed his retreat, step for step. He reached out, grabbing Harry by the collar of his shirt and giving a good yank. Harry stumbled and the bag of cheese fell forgotten to the floor.

"Let me-"

"Sod it, Potter!" Butch barked out, cutting him off. His fingers twisted in his dull grey shirt.

Harry opened his mouth to reply but he had no idea what to say so the words died on his tongue. And then, Butch was reaching up and punching him in the mouth. Harry's head snapped back and he squeezed his eyes closed, swallowing the metallic taste of blood on his tongue from his lip. For a moment, he was back to being a kid again with no hiding spots from Dudley and no way to avoid his pummeling. His mind was a scattered mess and he just froze where he was.

He felt disappointed in himself. What made him just lock up and become helpless? He couldn't do that. He normally never did. But, that was when someone else needed him. When it came to himself, he had no semblance of heroics. He just failed. The hand holding his shirt tightened and Harry readied himself for the buffet that never came. After nothing, he opened his eyes to see what was halting Butch.

Butch was frozen where he was, eyes locked on something over Harry's shoulder. There was something like fear flickering in his beady glinting eyes, more like wariness. Harry tilted his head and saw that Em was standing right behind him. The thing was, she held no knife. It was just her standing there and clenching her fists, her eyes bright. Harry felt Butch's grip loosen in hesitation.

But, why?

Harry couldn't understand it. Em was smaller than him and softer. She was the same height nearly, yes, but her stature was more petite while Harry was more wiry and lanky. The point was that they both looked altogether nonthreatening, the only difference was that Em seemed more delicate than Harry. Harry couldn't understand what had Butch so cautious when it came to her. He wondered what experience had led Butch to the conclusion he had. Butch's eyes flickered over to Harry and then, after scanning Harry's face, Butch released him, glowering as he did so.

That was the end of that, leaving Harry to feel even more dejected. He may never know what happened between the two rivals. Harry had a tender lip for a day after that but when Nick, who was oh so observant, asked about it, Harry blamed it on himself. He said that he had bit it accidentally too hard, lying through his teeth to Nick only because he was mindful of the pleading pair of green eyes boring into the side of his face. He glanced at Em as he lied, his eyes curious, but she averted her relieved eyes.

During art wind down, the group of misfits all talked during the whole time. Often, they reminisced about the basic sleepover they had on the six day weekend. That had been a brilliant bonding experience. Harry grew more comfortable with them and felt closer to them. It helped that he knew that Em's bedhead was as bad as his and Olivia snored. Josh cuddled with Nick who wouldn't acknowledge that it even happened or that he woke with a smile on his face.

It was ridiculous as the days had passed but Harry felt guiltier and guiltier as the days went. It had been hard keeping his wizarding world from his muggle world and he had actually slipped up a few times. When Olivia had asked what his least favorite class was, he replied that it was potions. Luckily, Josh laughed it off and asked if he meant chemistry. Harry had quickly and awkwardly covered himself, feeling even more guilty as he did. He didn't hesitate to go on about Snape though, relishing in ranting about him.

After the third day, Harry had become completely comfortable with his new look. He had to admit that the lip ring had been a bit much to him at first but after those three days, he had come to like it. He treasured his tattoo, often gazing at it and feeling somehow closer to his parents. His clothes, something Josh had completely took control over, were a bit awkward to start with. Everything was so...tight. His black jeans were fitted and his band T-shirt fit him so much better than Dudley's hand-me-downs. He kept his battered shoes, not willing to give them up.

They had spent the six days healing from the fight and lazing around. They watched movies and Harry could practically recite The Lion King. They laid around, eating and talking. Nick braided everyone's hair, even managing to get some small braids into Harry's short unruly locks. Em had found koolaid packets and disappeared into the bathroom for nearly an hour, returning with some pink in her black hair. It was like a six day sleepover and Harry had never had so much fun. Returning to Karlbergs had really made all of them feel dreadful.

For Harry, so much had changed on Monday. He had woken up and gotten ready in the dull uniform, like usual. Mr. Peters had stopped by after his shower, giving him twelve minutes to brush his hair and teeth. The day had started out just like normal and had proceeded to until the last council session of the day.

Ms. Heather and her four kids had merged with Gibbs and the misfits. It wasn't a rare thing to mix groups and have a wider variety.

If course, that had meant that they had to deal with Butch and three of his friends and Ms. Heather. Harry had inwardly cursed, already seeing the session going horrible. He kicked himself and his gut-feelings that came true as the session spiralled down. It started out with Josh and Butch glaring at each other and Ms. Heather making snide comments that caused Gibbs to snort and make comments too. Of course, it escalated.

"Emily, tell me what is the indecency of having a tattoo on display for everyone to see?" Ms. Heather asked. Em had said nothing, simply stared blankly at her.

"She asked you a direct question, little girl. Answer it." Gibbs snapped. Em switched her blank stare to him, still not saying anything.

"Hey! Answer me. Or, do you have your own tramp stamp that you're ashamed of?" Ms. Heather sneered. Em still said nothing. Harry felt his hackles rise as Ms. Heather stood up from her seat.

"I have a tramp stamp. Wanna see?" Olivia asked coyly, flashing a saucy smile. However, Harry could see the worry in her eyes as the flickered over to Em and back. Harry knew what she was doing but it was no use. Ms. Heather was fixated on Em.

"Do you think you are so superior that you don't have to participate? Let me tell you something. This, all of it, pertains to you as well. So, I will ask you again. What is the indecency of having a tattoo on display for everyone to see, Emily?"

Em said nothing.

Ms. Heather slapped her.

The smack echoed and Em's head jerked to the side, nearly sending her out of her seat. Harry felt his jaw nearly come unhinged as he stared. His skin tingled as goosebumps rose on his skin. Could she even do that? Gibbs didn't look shocked or even concerned, opting to simply nod in approval at Ms. Heather's actions. Harry sat back in his seat, mystified, and stared at the reddening mark on Em's cheek.

Harry glanced at Nick who cringed but didn't look overly surprised. And, it hit Harry that this really was a regular occurrence. Of course, Harry had been told and he had gotten the feeling that these adults truly did abuse the disorderlies but this was the first time he saw it so severe firsthand. He was stunned, frozen in shock. Still, he was worried about Em and wanted nothing more than to leap up and yell on her behalf. But, he had learned that it was no good.

"Participation is a major importance at Karlbergs. I think that you will have to be made an example of. Stand up." Ms. Heather said. Em stood.

"Butch, go to my office and grab me the paddle. Don't dwaddle." Ms. Heather ordered. Butch hesitated, his eyes flicking between Em and Ms. Heather.

"Go now." Ms. Heather barked, her eyes narrowing. Butch gulped and Harry was surprised even further. It was rare for an adult to be so hard on Butch, seeing as he was one of the favorites.

Butch walked out, throwing one last look at Em that she ignored. Em stared straight ahead, her eyes unfocused. Harry fidgeted in his seat, the word 'paddle' bouncing around his head. He looked over to Nick, Josh, and Olivia for reassurance. His blood ran cold when they each refused to meet his eyes. After a few minutes, Butch returned with the "paddle", if it could even be called that. It was more of a cane. Ms. Heather reached out and snatched it from Butch, turning it over in her hands.

"Everyone! EVERYONE! MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION, PLEASE? Wonderful. Now, I would like you all to take watch what happens when you refuse to participate at Karlbergs. Miss Evanson, come here and stand straight up. Pull up your shirt to your midriff. Now, I will strike you until you either answer or pass out, your pick."

The whole room had fallen silent, everyone seeming to hold their breath. Em had moved until he was facing the group, her back to Ms. Heather. She had lifted her shirt to reveal a smooth tan stomach. Her eyes were still misty and she seemed to be working on autopilot. Ms. Heather's words resounded heavily with Harry, the idea that an adult would hit someone until they passed out getting to him. Ms. Heather raised the cane-paddle and brought it down quickly, the sound whooshing through the air.

THWACK!

The cane-paddle connecting against Em's skin had Harry grimacing. Em didn't even flinch but the echo was sickening. Harry swallowed, his heart twisting. How could someone do this? How could-

THWACK!

Ms. Heather brought it down again. Gibbs looked gleeful, watching with an eagerness that made Harry want to gag. And again, Ms. Heather hit Em. She wasn't holding back, swinging heavily and quickly. It was obvious that much force was being used when Em sprang forward minutely each time. Again and again, Ms. Heather rained down blows.

THWACK!

THWACK!

THWACK!

On the seventh hit, Em winced. Her body leaned forward and her face twisted. Harry glanced away, needing to breathe again. His chest was painfully tight and he flinched at each echoing hit. His mind was numb, the shock taking over. He looked around, wanting to see everyone's reaction. The other misfits were trembling with their heads bowed, unable to watch as well. Most disorderlies looked disgusted but some just look bored. It was Butch, however, that surprised Harry the most with his reaction.

The boy looked sickened. His eyes were wide and he was pale, his full attention on Em. Every time that echo sounded, he flinched violently. His whole body shook and he looked ready to leap to his feet and run or maybe even stop Ms. Heather. In truth, he looked ready to throw up all over the floor around them. Harry didn't understand it but chalked it up to him being guilty at retrieving the cane-paddle.

THWACK!

THWACK!

THWACK!

THWACK!

Ms. Heather didn't let up and didn't look ready to stop anytime soon. Alarm fizzled in Harry and his mind went at a mile a minute. Em's face was in a telling permanent grimace now. She couldn't take much more of this. Quite frankly, she shouldn't have to! It wasn't fair and Harry couldn't fathom it. It wasn't right, wasn't justified, and-

A whimper gave him pause, making his thoughts come to a screeching halt. His eyes widened and his heart clenched. The whimper had been soft and low and short. But, it was also the first sound Harry had ever heard Em utter. She had her eyes squeezed gently shut and her fists balled up. She clamped her mouth closed, trying to contain her voice.

But, it was no use.

With each hit, she became more vocal. More whimpers fell unbidden past her lips and she gave sharp gasps. It was so utterly wrong. Harry had always wanted Em to talk to him but this- this wasn't right. He should have heard her laughter, not her whimpers. It should have been voluntary, not forced. Some part of his mind knew that he had to stop this but he was frozen in his seat, his muscles not complying to his commands.

"Stop. Please. Stop it!"

Harry didn't realize he was talking until he was on his feet. Apparently, his motor and vocal functions had a mind of their own. Ms. Heather paused, mid-swing, and regarded him shrewdly. No one made to pull him down in his seat, most everyone looked relieved that she had stopped. Even Gibbs.

"What was that, Harry?" Ms. Heather asked politely.

"Just stop. Don't do it anymore. We get your point." He muttered, his voice cracking.

"Do you?"

"Yes."

"Well, she doesn't. She still hasn't given me an answer." Ms. Heather said calmly as if she hadn't just been whipping another human being.

"She doesn't speak! And, that's her right. If she doesn't want to answer, why should she have to?" Harry shouted, anger getting the best of him.

"Well, it seems, Harry, that you don't get it at all. I shall continue until she answers or until she is unable to." Ms. Heather murmured. It was more sinister than if she had hissed at him.

"Maybe she doesn't agree with the question, doesn't deem it worthy of an answer." Harry retorted desperately.

"It doesn't matter. She shall answer the question whether she believes it or not. Until she does, I will continue."

With that, Ms. Heather raised the cane-paddle and struck again. The echo was somehow more horrid after going so long without it. Harry sank back down in his seat, his hand coming up to cover his mouth. He stared at Ms. Heather, wondering what had happened to her. She had transformed into someone who was articulate and rational, even though what she rationalized was insane. He wondered what had happened to the gum popping, slang using, and disinterested woman he had first met.

The song of whimpers and gasps started back up as the blows continued to connect. Harry felt his skin itch and felt the need to jump back up. He was jittery, constantly shifting and twitching. He wanted to get up, grab Em, and run her somewhere safe. More than that, Harry wanted the pain to stop. Tears were streaming down Em's face and she was panting. Harry tried to keep himself together but it was so hard.

"Stop... Okay, stop..."

The words were broken, uneven. They were soft and slow, a tragedy if Harry had ever recognized one. Em's face crumbled as tears poured and Ms. Heather stopped. Ms. Heather stepped away, looking at her expectantly. She kept her grip on the cane-paddle but it was loose. Em coughed and cleared her throat, straightening her posture. She winced as she did.

"The indecency...of displaying a...tattoo for everyone to see...is...that it is...is not taking consider- consideration of...others." Em said, her voice hoarse and stuttered from disuse.

"Perfect! Aren't you a doll? Was that so hard?" Ms. Heather asked as she beamed. Suddenly, she was back to her careless self.

"N-no." Em stuttered.

"Great. Okay, everyone can continue on. Remember, participate everyone!"

And just like that, the session continued on. Em sat back down, carefully straight and with her back away from the chair. Gibbs started talking again and asking questions as did the other adults. And, Harry was in a daze. He was unable to fathom what just happened. Em had spoke, her voice soft and catching. Harry had heard her but that wasn't what fazed him.

It was the complex act of what Ms. Heather had just done that shoved him into shock. He stared straight ahead, his eyes glazed. How could everyone go on like it didn't even happen, Em included? How could this be such a normal thing that everyone just kept on going, refusing to acknowledge what they'd witnessed. Was it cowardly or was it survival? Harry didn't know. All he was absolutely sure of was that everything that he had just witnessed and everything about Karlbergs could be described as wrong and unjust.

After that, Harry couldn't help but be somber. He was sad to see that it wasn't the last time it happened. The next person that it happened to was some random disorderly that he had never spoken to. He was punished in front of everyone and Harry had watched, wide eyed, as a different adult paddled him. And, it was over something ridiculous, too. Apparently, the boy had snuck in a snack and had been caught with it.

Next, Nick got punished. It was different that a paddling. He had been forced to hold his arms straight out for the whole counseling session. Gibbs had called it endurance exercising for being so weak. By the end of the session, Nick's whole body was trembling and he was whining at the strain. Gibbs hadn't helped by constantly commenting on how much heavier his arms must have been feeling.

The first time Harry was seriously punished, he was paddled. It had been during review when he had fallen asleep. He had woken up in the middle of the night by a nightmare, his scar flaming and images of a snake slithering on tile dancing across his mind. The teacher, Keith, had made a complaint and asked Mr. Peters to handle it. Mr. Peters did.

Harry had been paddled in front of the whole class. Five blows that hurt worse than Harry had even imagined was issued to him. Though, he was stubborn and he had been able to withstand the torturing curse. He hadn't cried but he had cursed twice which only earned him two more hits, making it an actual roundabout of seven strikes. Despite the demeaning experience, he felt as if he had gathered some sort of strength from it.

It had become clear to Harry that the place was the epitome of evil. The adults were horrible and had no morals. The disorderlies just accepted it and didn't even fight it, as if they thought they deserved it. Harry was right. This was just what his uncle and aunt would have wanted for him. He knew that they would feel as if it was worth what they paid. What they didn't know was that Harry had gained a family as well as unnecessary punishments.

On Thursday night, Harry hadn't been able to sleep that well. The next day was Friday which meant that they would be free for a weekend. He kept tossing and turning in his bed as the night continued to slip by. Eventually, he gave up and stared up at the ceiling. His thoughts started straying and he was left thinking about Sirius, Remus, Ron, Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, Ginny, and Dumbledore. It wasn't uncommon for his mind to drift back to them.

He was just reminiscing on how he, Ron, and Hermione had polyjuiced themselves and broke into Slytherin, infiltrating the common room and talking to Draco Malfoy. He was jolted out of his foggy thoughts of how soft Draco's hair had become from his gelled style in second year by a quiet creaking. Harry blinked and sat up, turning to stare at his door. It was closed but he could still hear. The creaking went abruptly silent and Harry frowned, slipping out of bed. Vaguely, he thought the distraction was a blessing in disguise. He shouldn't ever be thinking about Draco's hair.

He padded over to his door and slowly opened the door. It swung open quietly, absent of any noise thankfully. Cautiously, he peered out the door, looking right towards the other dorms. There was no one so he looked left. He caught just a glimpse of a small figure ducking around the corner that led to the short hallway that led towards the cafeteria. His interest was immediately piqued and he just couldn't resist.

He stepped out into the hallway, his bare feet not making a sound. Swiftly, he edged down the hallway to follow the figure. The figure that had clearly not wanted to be seen. Harry felt a sense of nostalgia that reminded him of Hogwarts as he snuck down the dark hallway. He drew closer and closer, all his senses straining. He nearly walked around the corner when a small whisper sounded. He came to halt and listened.

"You came this time." A voice that Harry would recognize anywhere spoke quietly. It was Butch. Why was he out so late and who was he talking to?

"I almost didn't."

Harry froze. No. It couldn't be. He had heard that voice only once before. The only difference was that the last time, the voice had been broken and in a stutter. What was Em doing out so late and with Butch at that? Harry inched closer to hear better. The softness of Em's voice stayed the same. His curiosity ate at him.

"I know you're angry and I'm-"

"Sorry? Yeah, you always are. I can't keep doing this. I won't." Em cut him off, her voice going sharp.

"This isn't how- Look, I am sorry. Seeing Ms. Heather paddle you nearly made me sick. I just, I was so worried. Is your back healing?" Butch asked with a sigh. Harry's mouth dropped open. Butch worried? What the...?

"Yeah, it's fine. I just- Don't. Touch. Me!" Em started before her voice broke off and hitched.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Butch muttered.

"Yes, I know." Em snapped.

"What do you want from me? What do you want me to say?" Butch asked and Harry heard a hint of desperation in his voice.

"I want... I want you to stop. Just stop and leave me alone, okay?"

There was silence and Harry bit his lip. He was torn between making himself known and saving Em away from Butch or continuing to listen. He was confused as to why Em even met up with him at all. And, why was she willingly talking to him in the way she wouldn't with her friends? There was many questions he wanted answered so he opted for silence.

"You know I can't do that." Butch said and Harry tensed. He might've jumped into the rescue if it wasn't for the croak in Butch's voice. Something held him still.

"I think you should start trying." Em retorted flatly. Harry felt his eyebrows climb. She was being almost...harsh in a way.

"I won't." Butch said stubbornly.

"Why not?" Em asked, sounding frustrated.

"Because, I love you and you love me." Butch whispered, his voice lowering. Harry's head spun as he tried to make sense of that. Before he could even fully process that, Em was replying.

"I don't want to. You're not good for me. I deserve-"

"I'm sorry, okay!? I know that I've said it so many times before. I know that I've begged and pleaded and kept fucking up. I know that you deserve better and I don't deserve you at all but dammit, I'm selfish. I want you, I want to make this work, I love you. What do you want from me? Want to stop sneaking around? Fine. Want me to leave your friends alone? Deal. Want me to let my friends go? Okay. Want me to leave you alone? No dice and never going to happen. Just- Please..."

Harry slumped against the wall, his eyebrows trying to get acquainted with his hairline. His eyes were wide and peering into the darkness. His mind whirred with this news. How had they gotten together? How had they ever moved from rivals to...to this? How? Harry couldn't understand but at the same time... Well, he'd never heard Butch sound so sincere. He chewed his lip and waited, wondering what to do.

"Damn you, Eugene. You can't keep doing this. You hurt me and then expect me to keep letting you come back. I am sick of it and I won't do it again. I'm- We're done." Em said and her voice wavered only once. Eugene? Harry listened harder.

"You don't get to do this! We've been through too much and-"

"That you've put us through!" Em hissed.

"I didn't mean to." Butch replied hotly.

"I don't care. I'm hurt and I won't go through that again. So, take this as your warning. Just leave me alone, yeah?"

"No, I will not. I love you. Doesn't that mean anything? Don't you care? Or, were you lying when you said-"

"Don't! Don't you dare try and guilt trip me. Of course, I love you. I may always love you. It means everything and that's why- Just, I can't... Eugene, I- Mmmph!"

Harry wasn't an idiot. He knew what snogging sounded like. He also knew what protesting sounded like. Em seemed to be doing only one. For all her earlier refusals, she was sure moaning like she didn't mind his lips sucking hers. Harry cringed at his inner thoughts, wanting to slap himself. It sounded so wrong and suddenly, he wanted to flee the scene. He was about to go when the whimpers increased but the sound of gasps stopped him.

"That, I am not sorry for." Butch said gruffly.

"I hate you so much." Em panted.

"I love you too." Butch replied softly, his voice going to a fond notch that Harry hadn't ever heard him use before.

"You're so bad for me." Em groaned pathetically.

"Says who? Your group of misfits? What do they know?" Butch asked, clearly offended.

"They say and so do I. They also know what makes me happy." Em murmured.

"Then, how don't they know about me?" Butch challenged.

"Because, you cause me misery." Em breathed out, her voice thick.

"I don't make you happy?" Butch asked in concern.

"Sometimes. When it's good, it's great. You can make me the happiest or the saddest. You don't know what you do to me."

"I won't apologize for meaning something to you. I'll leave your friends alone from now on, okay?"

"Eugene..."

"Please? Just one more chance? Anything you want. Anything for you. I won't- I can't lose you."

"I love you, Eugene, but I don't think this is going to work out. I told you that I won't do this again. I am so sorry but I meant what I said. We're done."

Harry nearly chewed a hole in his lip. He heard the finality in her voice, knew that she was being completely serious. She meant it. Harry heard brisk footsteps and plastered himself as close to the wall as he could. It didn't matter because Em came barreling around the corner, nearly running, with her head bowed and her shoulders shaking. She didn't even look up as she hurried by.

He knew she had been crying and he felt sorrow fill him up for her. He didn't really approve of her choice in partner but it hurt to see her so torn up about it. And, she wasn't the only one crying, it seemed. Harry tensed when he heard a small sob come from around the corner. That one sob broke free and allowed for even more to fall out. And, Harry stood frozen as he listened to Butch cry heart wrenching sobs.

After a moment, Harry awkwardly walked back to his room. He sank down in his bed, a headache taken home in the forefront of his mind. It was surreal to think about Em and Butch being together. He had seen them scowl at each other, seen Em flick him the finger, seen Butch push Em out of her seat. It was... It was all a lie. So much made sense now.

Suddenly, Em's little smile about punching Butch on the first day Harry met her made sense. Butch backing off whenever Em stepped up became clear to Harry. Em mockingly flipping him the finger, something like mirth in her eyes instead of loathing, made sense. Butch nearly physically vomiting when Em was being punished wasn't due to being the one to deliver the paddle. Harry couldn't believe that he had seen it all before. But, why would he?

Em and Butch played rivals. They seemed to hate each other or ignore each other. Em never seemed angry when the other misfits fussed about Butch and always seemed righteously indignant when Butch did something ridiculous. But clearly, everything wasn't as it seemed. It shocked Harry. It was the equivalent of him and Draco suddenly springing up a relationship.

It would never happen. It couldn't. Right? Not that Harry would but that was the exact point. He and Draco had always been rivals, always been fighting. They constantly bickered, constantly tried to oneup each other. Harry had always been able to get under Draco's skin and vise versa. They had always been aware of each other, all the time. It wouldn't and didn't mean anything. It would never go any further. It wasn't like they would suddenly start snogging...

Harry cut himself off from that thought and worked extra hard at falling asleep. He tried to think about Cho and her beautiful hair but ended up thinking about Draco's instead, wondering if it was soft. Harry groaned and punched his pillow, annoyed with himself. He was clearly letting this Em and Butch situation get to him. And, he dreamed of silky blond hair, pink lips, and grey eyes that night.

Friday morning, he woke up feeling cranky. He groaned and sat up, rubbing his hands over his face. For a moment, he just stared at the nook that was his shower, no thoughts in his head at all. Sluggishly, he got ready for the day. Mr. Peters was late and Harry only had seven minutes to brush his teeth and hair. However, Mr. Peters did bring his outfit that Josh had given him. Harry quickly changed, tugging at his black band T-shirt. Mr. Peters sneered as a goodbye and swept out of the room, leaving Harry to exit whenever.

"Harry, look at you. Don't you look sexy? My, who gave you those clothes!? Oh, right. Me!" Josh chirped proudly as he appeared at Harry's side as soon as Harry closed the door behind him.

"Git." Harry replied simply, lightly shoving him. Josh snorted and stumbled into a random disorderly who growled and shoved Josh back.

"Hey, relax." Harry said with a disgruntled huff. He pulled the affronted Josh away, already inwardly complaining about how his morning was starting. They headed over to Ms. Heather, Olivia coming to join them after they took a few steps.

"Good morning, lovelies." Olivia greeted happily. Her perkiness made Harry want to sigh and rub his temples in frustration.

"Morning, darling. I like your hair. Going natural today?" Josh asked amicably.

"Mhm."

Harry tuned them out as they jumped into the benefits of going all natural every once and awhile. He walked slightly ahead of them, looking for where Ms. Heather was handing out their things. As they drew closer, Harry saw Nick standing near her, clearly waiting for the others. Harry couldn't spot Em anywhere. Harry brushed that aside, not daring to think about the surreal night before, and went to get his things.

"I better not be seeing anymore ink or needles on you, boy. This one is bad as it is." Ms. Heather told him sternly, smacking gum and making a squelching sound. Harry took his folder from her and quickly moved away, having to physically bite his tongue to not make a snide remark.

"Where's Em this morning?" Nick asked him. Harry shrugged.

"I don't know but I got her folder for her." Olivia announced, looking around.

"She'll be here soon. Maybe she's trying to contain that nest she calls hair. No offense Harry." Josh joked.

"And, why would I be offended?" Harry asked grumpily.

"Twins, remember?" Josh teased lightly.

"Not..." Harry mumbled, a yawn halting the rest of his words. Josh and Olivia snickered while Nick peered around, looking for Em.

"There she is!" Nick burst out, pointing behind them.

Harry turned and looked, blinking in surprise. Em was slowly making her way through the crowd, her whole body sagging. She looked so...depressed? Solemn for sure. Harry's mind jumped back to last night and his eyes sought out Butch. When he found him, he saw Butch watching Em. He also noted that Butch wasn't surrounded by any of his friends today. They all waited as Em eventually reached them.

"Hey Em." Josh murmured, sensing her mood.

"Hey." She whispered.

Harry blinked, sharing a look with the others. Olivia looked delighted and Josh grinned. Only Nick didn't look surprised. He looked like he had always known that Em would speak voluntarily one day. Harry was reeling. What had changed? What made Em talk? Did it have to do with Butch or was it completely unrelated? She looked up, a sadness flickering in her eyes, and gave a very tiny smile that didn't fool Harry.

"Talking to us again?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah, I suppose. My vow of silence has evaporated." Em answered.

"This is the first time you've ever chosen for me to hear you speak." Harry said, blinking owlishly at her.

"You have to understand, Harry, that I sometimes go through these random spells of silence. It can last a long time or be short. I'm just strange that way."

"How long did this last one go for?"

"About two years." Em replied.

"Wow. Not talking for two years? I'd... I would most likely go mad." Harry mused.

"It's enlightening, actually." Em said.

"I'm sure. I'll take your word for it."

"So, this weekend will be fun." Josh declared excitedly.

"Got something planned already?" Harry asked, not minding the light change in topic.

"Please, I've always got something planned. I'm Josh."

"True enough." Harry agreed with a short laugh.

"But... It's a surprise." Josh sand, smiling and winking.

"It's always a surprise." Harry grumbled.

"Tradition, really."

They all headed to the bus, greeting Merta teasingly and ducking her mock threatening swipes. Harry allowed himself to laugh but was actually polite to her. She looked at him in approval when he smiled weakly, seemingly apologetic for the others taunts. Merta perked up, beaming, when Em greeted her with sound but seemed to tap down on the urge to make a big deal about it. Everyone seemed to enjoy that her silence was over, especially Olivia who was chattering away excitedly to Em and demanding she sit with her.

Josh hastily grabbed the seat next to Nick, scooting in closer than necessary. Harry tried hard not to think all the desire he'd witnessed between the two. He sunk down in his seat in front of the others, falling silent. The bus took off and Harry gazed out the window with their inane chatter as his background noise.

As the bus continued its route, Harry tilted his head back to look in the front mirror that reflected the seats. He paused in interest when he saw a figure hopping from seat to seat, closer and closer to them. Harry leaned forward, squinting, and gave a surprised jolt when he saw that it was Butch. Harry bit his lip, knowing what Butch's intentions were. He hopped closer, only two seats off from Olivia and Em's. Before thinking, Harry whirled around in his seat.

"Olivia!" He blurted out. She paused and cut herself off from talking to Em. Harry saw that Josh had ducked down in his seat, his head lowered towards Nick's and that they were whispering.

"Yes?" Olivia asked.

"Come sit with me for a little bit. I want to talk to you." Harry said urgently, his eyes cutting over to Butch.

"Oh, sure. I'll be right back Em." Olivia chirped.

Harry turned and scooted over, allowing Olivia to plop down beside him. She lowered herself right beside him, their sides and thighs touching. Harry noted that she was warm and that her hair smelled crisp and clean. He was sure that he could bury his face in that red hair and inhale for years. He'd probably smother but he'd die happy, he just knew it. Shaking those thoughts away, he scrambled to make something up to appease Olivia and keep her in his seat. And, just slightly in the mirror, Harry saw Butch reach his final destination to the seat with Em.

"Harry?" Olivia asked in amusement.

"Er, yeah. So, I had a dream." He blurted out, wincing as he did.

"What sort of dream?"

"About...about a boy." Harry admitted, lowering his voice so that Olivia had to lean in close.

"Did you? Do tell."

"He's, well... We hate each other."

"You sound unsure."

"Okay, fine, I think we hate each other. Rather, I am sure that he hates me. It's my own hatred I am questioning." Harry said slowly with a grimace. He was regretting his chosen topic. Why had he even went with this? Maybe it had to do with the fact that every now and again, Harry would find himself thinking of it.

"Let me guess, you think he is an arsewhole but at the same time you want to snog him senseless."

"I- What!? No!" Harry denied.

"Nothing to be ashamed of, Harry. Happens to the best of us. Many of us always are attracted to the ones that rile us up so much. Bennet and I used to have fantastic shags." Olivia said wisely.

"Okay, ew. Please never talk about that again. I'd rather not know. Anyway, no it's not like that at all. It was just, well, I had a stray thought... It lingered..."

"Care to elaborate?" Olivia asked. Harry clenched his jaw and glanced in the mirror again. He couldn't see anything but Butch's shoe and that was only because he was looking for it so intensely.

"I was just thinking that he had, you know, soft hair...and- Okay, I know it sounds bad but, really, it's not like that. I've known this bloke since we were eleven. He's like Dawson with how pompous he is and like Butch with how much he taunts me. We've always been enemies, always...but..."

"Sounds like a terrible bloke. Seems like you two have a lot of history. Sounds pretty compatible to me." Olivia said easily with a shrug.

"No! What?" Harry sputtered. Olivia giggled.

"Harry, relax. Our bodies often betray our minds. Sometimes, we can be attracted to someone we believe we shouldn't. We could want someone we believe we never could. We could love someone we hate. It happens. Bennett and I- We were just... It was maddening and brilliant all at once. Sometimes, something like that is worth everything. But, most times, something like that can never last. Fireworks eventually go out at some point."

Harry stared at Olivia, swallowing thickly. How did they always manage to put what he felt into words? How did they always know what he needed to hear? Sometimes, the things that came out of their mouths would be so deep that it left him in awe, astonished that they could even think in such depth. Olivia gave him a small smile and Harry sighed, trying to beat his mind in submission. It really wasn't like that with Malfoy. Harry didn't even think of boys like that. No, scratch that, he didn't think of anyone like that.

"It's just me going mad in my own head. I don't even like boys or anyone really."

"Don't doubt yourself, Harry, or try to brush it off. If you're having these thoughts, you might want to start doing some serious soul searching. Don't bury yourself, who you are, simply because you are wary to acknowledge it." Olivia said firmly. Harry paled.

"No, it's not like that. I like girls, really. As I've said, I've kissed a girl and-"

"Did you even enjoy it?"

"No but she was crying over an ex boyfriend so..."

"Crying or not, if you were straight, you should've felt something from the contact." Olivia said sincerely.

"Olivia, I really don't think-"

Harry never got to finish what he was saying because Olivia cut him off. Or more accurately, her lips cut him off. He didn't get any warning as Olivia surged forward and grabbed the sides of his neck under his ears and kissed him. Harry made a sound of surprise but Olivia had one goal in mind. She kissed him thoroughly, as if trying to prove a point that he wasn't getting.

He got it, alright.

As far as second kisses go, this one was nice. Her clean hair brushed his collarbone and the scent invaded his nostrils. Her fingers stroked his neck softly and her chests was pressed right up against his. Her lips were so soft and determined over his. Her body was so soft and curvy. Altogether, she was so soft and warm and gentle.

And, Harry felt absolutely nothing.

Her tongue sweeping over his bottom lip didn't give him a thrill and her hands threading in his hair and yanking him closer didn't make his stomach swoop. Her soft body against his made him unreasonably uncomfortable. Only her lips, as dominating as she worked them and as hard as she kissed, kept him distracted. Somehow though, her kiss wasn't...right. She was just too soft, too feminine. With a start, he yanked away, feeling completely unruffled.

"Bloody hell, I'm not straight." Harry hissed, his wide panicked eyes locking onto Olivia's blinking ones.

"Shame. You're a brilliant kisser, Harry." Olivia huffed, reaching out to run a finger over his lips approvingly.

"You're not so bad yourself. I actually enjoyed that." Harry admitted. And, he had. She was skilled, he'd give her that. It just didn't get him properly excited.

"Not enough to do it again." Olivia noted. Harry winced.

"Yeah, no offense, because you nearly turned me straight, but I just- I didn't feel it. I'm sorry."

"No need to apologize. You want who you want. Don't feel guilty. You'd be a decent shag but we'd never have a real thing." Olivia laughed genuinely.

"Right. I just, I don't know..." Harry mumbled.

"You want a boy." Olivia said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. And to her, maybe it was.

"I don't think so. Josh is...attractive but I don't want to throw him down and snog him." Harry whispered.

"Good because that would crush Nick. Harry, it's okay. Maybe you just want one specific person. Maybe it doesn't matter the gender or looks. Maybe you just have to feel those sparks. That's okay. It's how I am." Olivia informed him with a soft smile.

"Yeah? Did you- I mean, not be pushy or anything but did you ever, you know, feel them?" Harry asked.

"With Bennett, somewhat. It might've grown with time but... I'll never know. Otherwise, no I haven't."

"Em and you didn't...?"

"Merely sexual reasons only, Harry." Olivia laughed and Harry blushed, not daring to entertain the thought of the two girls.

"So, you have sexual encounters with people you don't feel anything with?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Not everyone is as innocent and oblivious as you. Simple as this, the kiss we just shared was nice. The sex between us would be even nicer. We wouldn't fall in love and it wouldn't mean anything like that. We'd be closer, yes, but that would be it."

"You'd have s-sex with me?" Harry stuttered, his mouth dropping open.

"Oh god no. You are far too innocent for me to be the one to deflower you. Plus, seeing as you are already so confused as it is, I wouldn't add to that. Some people just don't understand that you can be gay and still have sex with women. Some people don't understand that you can enjoy both sex with women and men, maybe one more that the other."

"It's so confusing." Harry murmured, sighing as a headache formed. Olivia grabbed his hand, interlinking their fingers loosely.

"Not really. Think of it like this. If you want someone, no matter the race or gender, then go for it and accept that. Love who you love. If you were born in the wrong body, such as you decided you should've been a woman, then change to your real gender and accept it. If you don't ever want to have sex at all, only wanting an emotional connection, then embrace that. If you feel like you want to look like a girl one day and a boy the next, ask for my mascara. It's simple, Harry. Be who you are and those who mind, don't matter, while those who matter, won't mind."

Harry stared down at their joined hands, his mind racing. Was it truly that simple? Was it as simple as him simply pining after whoever he pleased? Was it as simple as him doing what he wanted with his body because it was his? Was it as simple as brushing off those who didn't accept him and realizing who did were his true friends and family? It sounded simple, wonderful really. He wondered why no one else ever thought like Olivia did.

The fact was, he knew that with the misfits, it really didn't matter. He could announce that he was a drag queen who enjoyed to hula dance and they wouldn't bat an eyelash, simply encourage him and support him. But, what about Ron? What about Sirius and Remus? What about Hermione? Or, Mrs. Weasley? Or, the twins? What about them? Would they love him unconditionally, no matter what?

"I don't know what I want." Harry whispered.

"And, that's okay, too. Just don't try and shove what you truly feel away and hide it. Accept it and be happy, no matter who you are, who you want to be, or who you love to get that way."

"Are there really people born in their wrong bodies?" Harry whispered. Quite frankly, the idea sounded frightening. He couldn't imagine waking up every morning and realizing that, once again, he had woken up to the wrong body parts.

"You don't know about Transgenders?" Olivia asked in shock. Harry shrugged sheepishly.

"Sorry, no."

"It happens sometimes. People are born in their wrong bodies and transition over to their correct gender."

"I've never heard about it, honestly."

"I hate to break it to you, Harry, but you are quite oblivious sometimes. Think about the people you've known all your life. Take the knowledge that you've learned from us misfits and apply it. Really try for it. You'd be stunned at what you'll reveal."

Harry stared at her skeptically and she poked him insistently. He rolled his eyes and let his mind drift, thinking back over everything he had become privy to since joining the misfits. And, he was utterly stunned, as she had warned, at what he did uncover. Thinking about it now, he hadn't ever really seen Dean and Seamus without one another. Sometimes, they even slept together. In fact, thinking about Sirius and Remus, even in his own head, he'd always paired them together. They had a way with each other...

With a jolt, Harry came to multiple realizations at once, so quick that he went dizzy. Ginny always dressing like a bloke and making hinting comments about how blokes we're the better gender. Charlie never bringing home a girl but mentioning the blokes that he stayed with on the dragon reserve. Percy avoiding all physical connections like the plague. Luna's eyes lingering on Hermione or Ginny just a bit too long. Sirius letting Remus braid his hair and wearing softer and older robes, making the excuse that it was all his closet provided was older wizarding robes. Remus eyeing both Sirius and Tonks appraisingly.

"Bugger." He said flatly, his eyes wide as saucers.

"Of course, you can't be absolutely sure unless they confirmed it. It doesn't do good to suspect but some people do. I do so I can help people and give support. But, you can't be sure."

"Right. It's mad." Harry croaked.

"It's all around us. So many just hide it." Olivia said with a smile.

"I don't...get it. Why-"

"It's in our nature to be different. But, at the same time, we are humans that are capable of feeling limitless love. We're just born this way. Some people, as you may know, are simply born straight. They just like the opposite sex and that's okay." Olivia said easily.

Harry thought about Ron and Hermione, how clearly they fancied each other. It was obvious and Harry didn't doubt that they would pine after each other for a long time. Mrs. and Mr. Weasley were still in love, as old as it was. Bill and Fleur were, as fresh as it was. Harry squeezed Olivia's hands in thanks. He had only scrambled for a topic and hadn't expected it to turn so educational. It was what he needed and he'd learned things that put his mind at ease.

"You are wonderful." Harry told her seriously.

"So are you. Feel better?"

"So much."

"Glad I could help."

"Glad I asked."


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Alright everyone, sorry about the wait on this! I am going to be trying to post during the week but not on the weekend. So, to be fair, I am going to give two chapters instead of one. Also, I have been getting some questions about what happens with the Dursleys and the order and Voldemort and so on. I won't spoil it but some of it is explained in these next two chapters. I've got big plans with this story and I _WILL_ finish it, Anyways, lovelies, enjoy! Read and review! :)**

"Hey, Josh. Em, Liv, Harry, Nick. Good to see you all back."

Harry grinned at Russell, his eyes immediately darting to his tattoo. Natalie moved forward, giving Em and Olivia gentle hugs and patting Harry's cheek. Harry had been delighted when he had been told to hop off the bus at the stop like last time. This time, he hadn't even hesitated and he had felt at ease upon entering the shop. It felt good that the uncertainty had left him.

"Harry, that piercing fits you so well. I did a good job." Natalie boasted, eyeing Harry's lip ring. Her eyes shined in approval and pride as she looked from him over to Em, who had already replaced her rings.

"Getting any ink today?" Russell asked lightly.

"Ah, no. We just stopped by to see our favorite shopkeepers of all time." Josh said with a wink at Natalie. She snorted.

"And, we were wondering if you could call up your cousin Harvey and have him drive us about in his taxi. We got the money." Nick said and Josh pulled out the wad of bills that were more than enough.

"I'll ring him up." Natalie said smoothly and swept out of the room.

"Got plenty of money there. Sure you don't want any ink?" Russell asked, eyeing the money.

"Low on business again, Russell?" Olivia asked sympathetically.

"You have no idea." Russell sighed.

"I'm not going to miss up a chance to get a new tattoo if you're insisting. I don't really have an idea for anything but I'll take the chair." Josh said with a laugh.

"Only one?" Russell asked, frowning.

"I suppose I will." Harry spoke up. His mind turned as he thought about a new tattoo design.

"Olivia? You haven't hit the chair since the first time. What about you Nick?"

"Oh no, Russell. I'm pretty plain." Nick said with a small lopsided smile. Josh looked at him sharply, his blue eyes narrowing at the nonchalant insult.

"You know what, though? I think I will. What could it hurt?" Olivia said with a shrug, her eyes brightening.

"Em?" Russell asked hopefully.

"Something small, I suppose." Em said with a nod.

"Fair enough. Come on back, then. You too, Nick."

Harry followed the familiar path back to the chairs. Olivia went ahead and took a seat, declaring that she already knew what she wanted. Em sat down too, asking for a book full of writing styles to chose from. Josh started walking back and forth, apparently needing to pace to come up with an idea. Nick sat beside Harry and eyed him, curiosity in his eyes.

"Got an idea?" Nick asked. Harry hummed.

"Alrighty, Liv, what are you wanting?" Russell asked, setting up his drawing.

Olivia shot off talking and Harry got lost in thought. He leaned over, only half paying attention as Russell drew what Olivia described. He couldn't help but drift because he was clearly imagining what he wanted to get. Before he even saw the drawing, Russell was starting up his tattoo gun and going at it. Harry watched as Olivia pressed her face into the leather chair and clung to Josh's hand with one hand and Nick's hand with her other. She was getting her tattoo on her collarbone and shoulder.

Harry was mesmerized at the actual process of the tattooing. Russell was quite talented for the fee he gave and Harry suspected he gave the misfits a discount. Harry's eyes slipped to the pacing Josh and guilt gripped him. He was allowing Josh to pay for something so important. But, so was Olivia and Em. Harry knew that he enjoyed spending his parents money on things his parents would hate but still...

No. Harry meant he wasn't going to be like Ron in the sense that he was embarrassed when someone bought him something expensive. He never even batted an eye when he spent money on Ron and he doubted that Josh did for them either. He loved Ron but he had always disliked that money was such a touchy subject for him. Harry had come to learn that money didn't make a person. Harry made a mental note to somehow repay Josh in the future even if it wasn't with a material thing.

"Done!" Russell chirped, leaning back. Olivia released a deep breath and sat up, turning her head back forward. Harry saw a red mark on her forehead where she had pressed down so hard.

"How is it?" Olivia asked them.

"I like it." Harry said immediately, his statement twisting in with the others approving words. He wasn't lying at all. It was beautiful, really. It was the words 'Not everyone who wanders is lost' in cursive format with three tiny birds flying off. The tattoo ended on her shoulder, the last small bird above her armpit.

"Next." Russell said after he had allowed Olivia to see it in the mirror and bandaged it.

"Me." Em said quickly.

"What would you like?" Russell asked business-like.

"It's not too big. I just want a dreamcatcher. A unique one." Em said sheepishly, tossing the binder to the side, apparently changing her mind in needing it.

"Where?" Russell asked. Em pulled up her sleeve, revealing her upper arm.

"I want it to start at the top and then end about midway."

"Alrighty. Any details?"

"Two feathers and all the strings have beads." Em declared with a nod.

"Nice." Nick commented with a smile.

Harry's interest was piqued. He didn't even know what a dreamcatcher was. He could infer by the blunt name but he'd never seen one or heard about it. He tried not to hover too much over Russell but the man simply waved him forward, seeming used to having someone over his shoulder. Harry watched as he drew what was apparently a dreamcatcher. And, he had to admit that it was cool. It had a bit of a whimsical feel to it. Curiosity too much for him, he finally asked.

"What's a dreamcatcher?"

"It's an object that native Indians in America created to catch bad dreams and only allow good dreams." Em murmured, closing her eyes as Russell started.

"You have nightmares?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Often." Em replied.

"What about? Oh- Sorry, that's none of-"

"Weird things. Screaming, Latin words, green lights. I sometimes dream about dark things, things that I know aren't real but are definitely evil." Em admitted.

"Latin words?" Harry asked, his eyes widening. He thought back to his own nightmares... Coincidence? It had to be... Right?

"Like I said, weird things."

"Do you really think it will work?" Harry asked, nodding to the progressing tattoo.

"Who knows?" Em laughed, leaning her head against the headrest and smiling at him.

"So, why get it?" Harry asked in confusion.

"Symbolism. Good vibes. Hope. I don't know, really. I just... I like it and I wanted it." Em said with a smirk.

"Right, of course. Badass Em." Josh snorted from where he paced.

"I try." Em retorted.

They fell silent as Russell continued, his brows furrowed as he concentrated. Nick kept batting Olivia's hands from her bandage and Josh finally stopped pacing. Harry's traitorous mind kept returning to what Em revealed. How come he always got suspicious thoughts towards her tattoos? Coincidence happened everyday. This was no different. Harry brushed it off and watched as Russell put down his tattoo tools.

"All done." He announced.

"It looks great." Em told him as she eyed it, not even bothering to go to the mirror.

"Who's next?"

"I'll go." Harry said and sat down. His eyes snuck to his arm that already held a tattoo.

"Alright. What are you wanting?"

"It's even weirder than last time..." Harry admitted.

"I don't need an explanation. Either pick it out of the book or describe it. I don't have to know the reason, I just have to tattoo it." Russell said easily.

"Alright... It's a ball. Well, it's not just any ball... It's, well, it's a snitch and..."

Harry described the snitch as best as he could, going in great detail. Russell listened attentively, his eyebrows rising skeptically only a few times. True to his word, he didn't comment as he started drawing. His friends stared at him blankly for a few moments before seeming to brush it off. He had made it clear that he didn't want to talk about it, just like with his last one, and they let it go.

Russell listen well because he drew the snitch absolutely perfectly. Well, he hadn't drawn enough notches on the side but he corrected that when Harry let him know. Otherwise, it was perfect. Harry decided to get it on his arm opposite of the other tattoo. However, he got it above his elbow, right below his sleeve. The wings were whipped back, showing that it was clearly in flight. Harry beamed.

"Any words?" Russell asked. Harry thought about it and said the first thing that popped into his mind.

"I want 'Wicked fast and damn near impossible to see' above it and 'Gryffindor wins' below it."

"Spell the 'G' word and we're ready to start." Russell laughed. Harry grinned.

He blushed as Russell added the words. He almost told Russell to take the bottom words off for being biased. But, he didn't. He had house pride and that was okay. He would wear this tattoo proudly and would inwardly rejoice every time a Slytherin scowled at him for it. And then, Russell started.

He had to admit, now that he knew what it felt like, it didn't hurt as bad. Josh offered his hand and Harry took it as a precautionary measure but ended up just loosely holding his hand, only squeezing it twice. He closed his eyes and just focused on Olivia chattering to Nick and Josh humming. He almost fell asleep, actually. Before he could get into a deep sleep, Russell stopped and told him to go take a look.

Looking in the mirror, Harry grinned and bounced slightly on his feet. It was perfect. And, it was meaningful to him in it's own way. It reminded him of how happy it felt to be in the air, narrowing in on that small golden ball and looking to end the game he loved. The top words were quoted from Oliver Wood but he'd never find anything more accurate. The bottom words were cheeky but everything he loved to hear at the end of every great game. Quidditch was a big part of his life. He might've been banned from it but not even Umbridge could take it from him now.

"Thank you, Russell. You never let me down." Harry told him gratefully.

"I don't even know what it means but it looks smashing." Josh said with a laugh.

"Alright, next." Russell said after he bandaged Harry up. Josh didn't even hesitate to sit down.

"Okay, so I want something without words this time." Josh said.

"Okay... What?" Russell asked expectantly.

"I don't know." Josh said sheepishly.

"Look in this then." Russell said, rolling his eyes and passing over a binder.

Josh sighed and started flipping through. In a rare display of affection, Nick snatched the book and sat down right in Josh's lap. Apparently, he wanted a front seat to helping Josh pick out this tattoo. Josh didn't seem to mind, hastily encircling his arms around Nick and placing his chin on Nick's shoulder. He wasn't even looking at the book as Nick flipped the pages, his eyes seemingly locked onto Nick's neck.

"What about this one? You love these death machines and your mother would go ape shit." Nick commented lightly, turning to look at Josh.

Harry froze, his whole mind coming to a screeching halt. It was sort of like a scene out of a movie. He couldn't tear his eyes away as he watched. Nick's face was mere centimeters from Josh's and their eyes had caught each other's as soon as Nick turned to look at him. Harry felt like an intruder that couldn't even begin to leave, entranced by the sight of them. He could feel a blush blooming on his cheeks from the secondhand embarrassment he felt.

It was awkward from where he was standing. For the moment, they were looking at each other like they were the only other person in the room, in the world. And, Harry felt like multiple things just clicked in his mind. He had suspected- it had been hard not to- but now it was confirmed. Clearly, there was much more going on there. That much was understood.

But, what Harry couldn't fathom was why he was unable to look away. Was it the fact that it was two boys? Was it the fact that it was two of his friends? He didn't know, wasn't sure he wanted to. It made him uncomfortable but it might've just been the increasing sexual tension in the room coming from them. He couldn't help but smile as he seen them, albeit an awkward one but a smile nonetheless. It was just so...sweet...Bloody hell, _was he gay_!?

Harry tore his eyes away to look at the two other girls. Em was grinning widely, like a cat who had finally gotten the canary. Her eyes were bright and she was leaning forward expectantly. Harry could understand why. With the way the boys eyes were flicking to the other's lips, they were obviously seconds away from snogging right then and there. Olivia was picking at her bandage, apparently uncaring of these change of events. It was like she had known all along.

"Ahem." Russell coughed.

Harry almost groaned in disappointment when the two boys jerked away from each other. Harry didn't have any secret desire to see them kiss, not that he knew of anyway, but they had been so close. If they had then maybe they would've got together and been happier. Why did Russell mess that up? Harry sent him a small glare that he wouldn't notice and saw that the tattooer looked distinctly uncomfortable. Harry supposed it was like an uncle watching his nephew snogging.

"Right, er, sorry. I, uh, I want this one." Josh mumbled awkwardly as Nick hopped up and shuffled away. Josh pointed towards what Nick picked out, looking at it only after he had pointed it out. Harry wasn't sure he'd ever heard Josh sound so inarticulate.

"You sure?" Russell asked.

"Yes, of course." Josh assured him.

"Where at?" Russell asked as he started setting up his tattooing tools. Josh pursed his lips.

"Hmm... What about...on my...outer lower arm. Like it's back is at the elbow and the front is to my outer wrist." Josh decided.

"Alright. So, no words, okay. Just this or do you want a background?"

"Uhh... No, just this will do."

"Any colors?"

"Nope. Just traditional black."

"Okay. And specific designs?"

"Nope. Just traditional design."

"Okay then. Nick, hold the boy's hand and we can start." Russell said smoothly.

Nick walked over awkwardly, lacing their fingers together. Harry glanced over to see Em pouting and Olivia throwing Russell the small glares Harry had given previously. Apparently, Olivia had hid how much she'd wanted the boys to snog. Russell started up his tattoo gun and went at it.

Josh was silent.

He didn't even twitch.

He didn't squeeze Nick's hand.

 _He was fine_.

Harry couldn't believe it. The last time, Josh had whined and moaned and groaned at the pain. He'd been horrible in the chair. Em herself looked stunned and Russell almost faltered in what he was doing. Josh simply lazed about, looking all for as if he was getting a massage instead of a tattoo. However, Harry caught one tiny wince that Josh hastily covered and frantically looked up at Nick to make sure he hadn't caught it. Luckily, Nick had been staring at their joined hands so he hadn't noticed.

Harry had to fight laughter. It was mad but Josh was pointedly not reacting just to impress Nick. It was funny, honestly. Em giggled quietly and Harry hadn't been able to bite back a grin. Josh glanced at them sharply, narrowing his eyes to slits in warning. Em smirked and Harry's grin turned wicked. Josh wrinkled his nose and huffed, looking away. When Russell announced that he was through, Josh sagged slightly in relief. Harry peered at the tattoo and burst out in sudden and loud laughter, unable to contain it.

"What so funny?" Josh asked in worry, glancing down at his new tattoo frantically. When finding nothing amiss, he stared at Harry with a small frown.

"Just... You're so like..." Harry trailed off as the smile slipped away.

So like Sirius.

Josh had gotten a motorcycle on his arm. Harry didn't doubt that Sirius would've loved it. Harry turned away, suddenly overwhelmed with how much he missed his godfather. Where he wouldn't have been able to see Sirius anyways, he would've been able to write him. Anything was better than this silence. Harry's arm throbbed with his new tattoo and he actually tried to focus on the twinge of pain for a change. It was better than that weight on his chest he felt.

"Harry?" Olivia asked quietly.

"I just... Nothing." Harry murmured.

"Hey, mate, you can tell us." Josh said as he allowed Russell to wrap his new tattoo. As the motorcycle was obscured from view, Harry's chest tightened.

"It might make you feel better." Olivia agreed.

"Well, walk and talk then. Harvey's been waiting for over an hour now." Russell said.

"I'll tell you all in the car." Harry said quietly.

They accepted that and started towards the front. Natalie checked them out, waving as she placed Josh's money in the register. Harvey was a plump man with what appeared to be a thin mullet atop his head and a cigar poking between his teeth. He grunted as he got in his taxi and they climbed in the back. Olivia sat in Josh's lap and Em sat in Nick's. Harry was squashed in the middle and yet, none of them even thought about sitting up front.

"Where to?" Harvey asked gruffly.

"You know that small grocery store on the corner of Surrey, yeah?" Josh said.

"Over there on the corner of Malcolm road?"

"Uhhh... Maybe?"

"By Privet Drive?" Harvey huffed, annoyed.

"Yes! That one. Stop there." Josh said excitedly.

"Privet Drive? By my house?" Harry asked with a jolt.

"Yep." Josh smirked.

"I've walked to that small grocery store you're talking about." Harry pointed out.

"Really?"

"Yeah. So, why are we going out there?"

"You'll see." Josh said with a smirk. Harry was immediately suspicious and narrowed his eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry your messy head over it. Go on ahead and tell me whom I'm so like." Josh said.

"Oh right. Well... Er, I sort of have a godfather." Harry coughed.

"What, really?" Nick asked, sitting up.

"How do you _sort of_ have a godfather, Harry?" Em asked with an arched eyebrow.

"No, I do. It's just... Well, I don't learn until about two years ago." Harry admitted.

"Why so long?" Olivia murmured with a frown.

"Well, he was sort of in Az- Er, in prison. So, yeah."

"Really? For how long?" Josh asked, blinking in surprise.

"Twelve years."

"What!? Bloody hell! What did he do?" Em hissed.

"He was in prison for murder. But! But, he was framed. Really, we have proof and everything." Harry said. The others gaped at him.

"Murdering who?"

"Well, everyone thought he was the one who told my parents murderer how to find them. But, it wasn't him. He was actually chasing down the man who actually told my parents murderer how to find them. Anyways, the true murderer blew up twelve mug-people and escaped. My godfather was framed and put away."

"Wow. That's... Mad. How- I mean, What happened to the really guilty bloke?" Josh asked with wide eyes.

"He's still free." Harry muttered, scowling darkly.

"What!? So, how did they prove your godfather was innocent if they didn't have the true guilty bloke?" Em asked in shock.

"Oh... Well, they didn't. My godfather, well, he broke out of prison three years ago. He had heard something about the really guilty bloke being near my location and broke out to protect me in case anything tetchy happened. I didn't even know he existed until that year and until I met him, I hated him because I thought he was the reason my parents were dead."

"So...so he's wanted!?" Olivia burst out, throwing a searching look up at Harvey who was smoking and appearing as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"Well, yes..." Harry mumbled. He hadn't really anticipated getting into this with them. The others fell silent as they worked to process it all.

"So, who's the really guilty bloke?" Nick asked, his brow furrowed.

"He's my dad's other best friend. My dad had three. Sirius, who is my godfather, Remus, who once was my professor, and Peter, who is guilty."

"Are they trying to find Peter to clear Sirius' name?" Nick asked, his hands drawing patterns on Em's knee.

"Yeah. I had hoped, had thought, that we had him at one time. I had been so happy to get away from the Dursleys but then... Well, you know. Since then, Sirius has had to be on the run and living in rough conditions. I miss him is all." Harry said with a shrug.

"So... Why does your criminally innocent godfather remind you so much of me? Or, vise versa or whatever?" Josh asked, wrinkling his nose.

"He's such a rebel, too. He was the black sheep of his family, too. In spite, he put posters of half-naked girls and motorcycles up on his wall with a- with super glue. And, he ran away at sixteen to live with my dad. And, he had his own motorcycle and everything. He's always disliked his family and everything they expected out of him."

"Woah. All he needs now is to be gay and we could be twins." Josh murmured in awe.

"I hadn't really thought about it until Olivia forced me to but I think he's got something going on with Remus. I'd never looked for it but... Yeah." Harry mumbled.

"Is that why you were so shocked?" Olivia giggled.

"Yeah, a bit." Harry admitted.

"Well-"

"Out, out, out! We've reached your destination!" Harvey barked, cutting off Josh.

After the initial surprise they got from Harvey's abrupt demand, they all piled out. Josh walked up to the window and handed Harvey a large wad of cash. Harvey looked distinctly happier as he drove off. The five teens all burst out laughing and walked into the store, snickering as they did.

"What exactly are we doing here?" Harry asked in amusement as they walked down the aisles.

"Snacks, of course!" Josh said with a laugh.

"That's it? We came out here just for snacks?"

"That and other things." Nick said lightly, looking downright devious for what might've been the first time Harry had ever witnessed. Josh hummed and walked over to Nick, running his fingers over Nick's jaw softly in apparent approval of the mischievous streak.

"I'll grab the eggs." Em sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Eggs? What do we need eggs for?" Harry asked with a frown, not liking being in the dark again.

"Relax. Come on and pick out some food." Olivia said easily, looping an arm through his.

They browsed the aisles and Harry was astounded by the amount of junk food they had to select from. Yes, he had seen Dudley have plenty but he hadn't ever had his own. Josh was going crazy, picking everything up that caught his eye. Nick only grabbed two things whereas Olivia grabbed things and passed them to Harry for him to hold. Harry figured that they had more than enough. Em showed back up with a carton of eggs and they paid and left. They walked for a while and ate together, putting a dents in the snacks.

"Alright. Now, we've got a surprise for you, Harry." Nick told him as they walked down the street.

"Why? I don't need anything. You've all done so much for me as it is." Harry sighed. Em tutted and reached over to ruffle his hair. He laughed and batted her hands away to no avail.

"Yes but this benefits us all." Olivia commented.

"Oh?"

"Harry, how much do you wish you could just get back at the Dursleys for everything they had ever done to you?" Josh asked as they turned down Privet Drive.

"What?" Harry muttered, his eyes taking in the sign as they passed it.

Why were they going towards his home? The snacks were really depleting now. Josh was sucking the food down as if he hadn't ate all week. Olivia, too, was doing her share. Em grabbed the last thing at the bottom and Nick balled up the bag and slipped it in his baggy pocket. Harry could appreciate that he hadn't littered. It was a good thing.

"If you had the chance to get back at them, would you?" Josh reiterated.

"I mean, I don't want them harmed if that's what you're asking..." Harry muttered with a frown.

"Better than us." Olivia mumbled. Harry thought it ironic as she always had defended her father.

"No, not harming... Let's just say, we're coloring the dull neighborhood. Taking the normal and...washing it away, if you will." Josh said with a smirk, his eyes shining brightly.

"I suppose but... I still have no idea what you mean."

"We're egging your house, Harry." Nick said, rolling his eyes as Josh huffed at the miss of being dramatic.

"What!? No!" Harry blurted out.

"Why not?" Josh asked curiously.

"They would _kill_ me! We can't! Absolutely not." Harry said firmly. They were coming up on his house and slowing. Harry felt a bit of panic grip him.

"Don't freak out. Harry, I promise you'll feel better. We've all done it. Even Olivia." Em said.

"You egged a nun school?" Harry deadpanned and looked over to her with doubt.

"Best time of my life. Gertrude flashed all the priests." Em said with a grin. Harry couldn't hold in his snort.

"Dad was furious but it was definitely worth it." Olivia spoke up, smiling as well.

"Well, it sounds all fine but I won't do it. Anyhow, it's wrong at that." Harry said sternly, frowning.

"Okay...aaaaand?" Josh snickered, drawing out the word. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Here, take this." Em ordered, opening a carton and passing him an egg. With a jolt, Harry realized they were in front of his house. He blinked.

"Go ahead. Give it a good fling. Aim for the car first. They'll be less likely to come out." Nick said wisely.

"Go on." Josh encouraged.

Harry stared at the perfect lawn and boring house that was just like all the others on the street. His eyes flashed to the simple car they had and he bit his lip. He could remember mowing this lawn, taming the garden, washing that car. And, for what? He wasn't ever taken anywhere, he never got any amount of acknowledgement for anything he did. Harry couldn't believe he was going to do this. He really was turning into a deviant, into a juvenile. But, if that's what they thought him to be, he'd show them.

Harry pulled his arm back and chunked the egg with all his might right at the side of the car. With a thump, the egg cracked and splattered all over it. At the sound and the sight of the mess, a thrill ran through Harry. And, he did feel better. He gave a soft laugh and reached for another egg.

The others took their own eggs and covered that car in the runny yolk. Harry couldn't help but laugh as it ran a mess all over it. He wouldn't be cleaning the car, that much was for sure. Next, they aimed at the front door. Harry also took pleasure in hitting the lawn, knowing they wouldn't find the mess until way later. It wasn't too long before the thumps called for attention. Harry's heart nearly stopped when the door jerked open and his uncle Vernon stepped out.

"What in the devil is going on out..." Vernon trailed off as his eyes took his car. The fat man's face immediately turned purple and he stomped outside towards his car with a shriek. Halfway, he caught sight of them all and froze.

Em threw an egg at the car.

" _ **POTTER**_!" Vernon bellowed, surging forward. Harry's eyes widened and he took an instinctive step back.

"What's his name?" Josh whispered hastily.

"Vernon." Harry hissed back.

"TAKE THAT VERNON DURSLEY! YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE LAST OF THE MISFITS!" Josh that, they took off down the street, tossing the empty cartons in the lawn. However, they didn't get very far at all.

"Stop. Right. There."

Harry froze, as did the others. Two police cars were parked along the curb, already there for some reason. Harry's heart clenched. There were four policemen right in front of them, blocking their way. Harry knew they were doomed, knew they had no way out. His heart thudded and he gulped.

"Harry!?"

Harry whirled around and gave muted sound of shock. What the hell was Remus doing here? And, with Ron and Hermione no less. They were walking up the sidewalk and gaping at Harry. He knew how it must look. He had tattoos and a lip piercing and they stood right beside the empty cartons. His friends didn't look any better. It was not a good moment for him.

"Who's that?" Josh asked.

"Did he come to save us?" Olivia asked.

"Friend or foe?" Nick asked.

"Should we run?" Em asked.

"Were so fucked." Harry replied to all of them.

"Who is it!?" Josh repeated urgently.

"Remus. He probably won't be able to save us. Friend. And, we can't. We are so fucked!" Harry burst out.

"Got that right, kid. On the ground, all of you." One of the sneering policemen said.

"Now, wait one second..." Remus started with a frown.

"We should run while they are distracted." Em whispered urgently in his ear.

"Harry!? Bloody hell, mate..." Ron blurted out.

"Harry, why would you egg the Dursley house and..." Hermione began disapprovingly.

"Who's the ginger?" Olivia asked, wrinkling her nose.

"Who's the prude?" Josh snickered.

"We will not hold on. These kids need to learn a lesson. We are taking them in. If, and only if, you want them out by tomorrow, then you can come up to the station and..."

"SHUT UP! EVERYONE, SHUT UP!" Harry shouted, his fury overflowing. They all fell silent and an unnatural breeze rushed through the air.

"Hey... Harry, calm down..." Em whispered, reaching out to grab his hand. Harry breathed in deeply and closed his eyes.

"Okay, we're fine. Josh, what did I tell you?" Harry muttered, opening his eyes.

"You were right. I'm sorry. How was I supposed to know that the police would be patrolling the neighborhood?" Josh huffed.

"I'm a trouble magnet. We should've anticipated this."

"Alright, quit the talking. Hands behind your back."

Harry bowed his head and refused to look at Remus or Hermione or Ron as the handcuffs were clipped on his wrists. He could hear their protests and Vernon's loud boisterous approval but it was like background noise as he was led to the police car. He was ducked down in the back and Em was right beside him. The other three were led to the other car. Harry took one glance and saw Remus blinking in utter shock at Harry through the window. Harry tried to fight it but the smile claimed his lips as they drove away.

He and Em didn't say a word as they drove down the road. Harry was surprised to find that they were only about fifteen minutes away from the station. The policemen talked to them, lecturing more like, as they were led down the halls. The place was absolutely silent as they were forced into a large room with one large bench along each of the four walls. He and Em took a seat and sat there in silence as the policemen left them, muttering about troublesome teenagers.

"That was quick." Em commented lightly.

"I'm in jail. Why am I not freaking out?" Harry muttered.

"Uh, Karlbergs by far outweighs this." Em said.

"Yes, but still... This is mad. I was just actually arrested. Right in front of my ex-professor who is in close contact with my godfather and my two best friends who've known me since I was eleven."

"You also made everyone frightened into silence."

"Yeah..."

"About that, Harry-"

"It was nothing." Harry said quickly.

"No, it wasn't nothing. It happens when you're upset, doesn't it?" Em said, leaning closer like she was sharing a secret. Harry frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You can make things happen when you're desperate or upset or angry, right? It's okay. I can too."

"What- You can?" Harry blurted out in shock.

"Yes... But, so can you... Am I right?" Em pressed, her eyes so earnest. And, Harry knew that he could deny it and he done with it. But, if there was one flaw Harry had, it was that he couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Here, hold this." Harry said abruptly. He reached in his pocket and pulled out his wand. Em reflexively grabbed it and gave a gasp. Bright purple sparks flew out the end and Harry blinked.

The door clicked and Harry snatched the wand back to slip it in his pocket. Em opened her mouth to say something but Harry turned away hastily. Harry looked through the bars and saw people coming down the hall. It was a good thing he was listening for the door. He watched as a mouthy Olivia and Josh and a quiet Nick was led in. The policemen walked them in and then left. The others sat down, scowling as they did.

"I can't believe this is happening to us. They can't even arrest us for egging a house!" Josh burst out.

"Destruction of property, Josh..." Nick sighed.

"But, we are minors!"

"They can still arrest us, the pricks. One of our parents will have to come bail us out."

"I hope it's yours." Josh muttered to Nick.

"No, you don't get it. One of our parents will have to come bail us out... _each_." Nick amended, his mouth tightening. Josh blinked.

"I'll be in here forever." Em sighed, leaning her head back. Harry nodded grimly in agreement.

"Dad is going to murder me." Olivia whispered, her eyes filling with sudden tears. Josh immediately moved over and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry..." Josh murmured.

"It's not your fault. We all did it." Olivia sniffled.

"Yeah, we all did but...but it was my idea and I paid for the eggs and...and..." Josh murmured.

"I threw the first egg. And, I don't even regret that part. I just regret the part where we got arrested." Harry said reassuringly.

"Did you see your uncle's face?" Nick laughed once.

"He went fuchsia." Harry snickered.

"And, when you threw that egg at his car, Em..." Olivia giggled.

"Goodness, his face!" Josh laughed loudly.

"And, when you yelled out at him!" Harry laughed uproariously, clutching his sides.

"We're horrible people!" Em laughed, leaning on Harry. They all laughed harder. Harry heard a faint pop but took no note of it.

"We got the house so good. And, with all the eggs too!" Josh laughed, his body shaking.

"Can you just imagine your uncle's face as he's forced to clean his whole house and car and lawn!?" Olivia giggled loudly, tears gathering in her eyes but of mirth.

"Muttering about his troubled nephew!" Harry wheezed. He tried to stop laughing but he couldn't.

"And, the policemen all being so serious, like... Stop. Right. There!" Nick imitated. They deteriorated into louder laughter.

"So worth it!" Harry laughed.

"Oh, you think so, do you?"

Like a light switch, the laughter flicked off. Harry's head snapped up and his mouth gaped open. Sirius stood in the doorway, his right leg crossed over his left, his arms crossed, his lips pressed into a thin clearly unimpressed line, his eyebrow arched, and his arms crossed over his chest. Remus stood behind him, tapping his lips as he watched them all intently.

"Oh goodness, please tell me this is not your godfather." Olivia whispered as she stood up and scurried closer to Harry. He cleared his throat.

"Ah, yeah... How did you-"

"You said he was cool but you never said he was hot! Are you sure he is gay?"

"Olivia!" Harry burst out, scandalized. He groaned and put his head in his hands.

"Man, he looks mad. I thought you said he was cool and Remus was the responsible one." Josh muttered.

"Please, god, please shut up. I am begging you." Harry mumbled, not daring to look at his godfather.

"Okay, Harry, relax. Olivia, shut it. He is pretty but don't blast it. Josh, just sow your lips together." Nick said with a heavy sigh.

"They tempt you, don't they?"

"Oh, stop it! Sirius, I am so sorry." Harry blurted out, standing up and moving over. Sirius hummed.

"You didn't sound it a few minutes ago." Sirius pointed out. Harry faltered and blinked.

"Yeah, but Sirius... You didn't see their faces." Harry said defensively. Behind him, a few snickers broke out.

"Remus described it to me in great detail. Eggs, Harry? Really?" Sirius asked.

"I... Well, yeah." Harry mumbled, shuffling his feet.

"You do realize that toilet papering someone's house is so much harder to clean up, right?"

Harry looked up and grinned. Sirius' limbs loosened and he grinned back, looking ten years younger. Remus threw up his hands and rolled his eyes as if exasperated at Sirius' lack of ability to live up to his name. Next thing Harry knew, he was starting to walk up to Sirius to hug him. However, he came to an abrupt halt. A thought tugged at his brain and he sighed. He cleared his throat.

"Remus..."

"What?" Remus asked with narrowed eyes, looking at Harry like he might have dungbombs hidden on him.

"Do me a favor, would you?"

"Depends on the favor." Remus said slowly. Harry rolled his eyes and walked forward, pushing past Sirius and giving Remus an unwarned hug. Remus stiffened in surprise before awkwardly patting his back.

"Not so bad, was it?" Harry muttered.

"What- Why- I don't understand..." Remus stuttered.

"Just acting on an old promise." Harry replied, his eyes cutting over to his confused friends. After that, he whirled back to Sirius and gave him a hug. Sirius easily hugged him back before holding him out at arm's length and frowning.

"Merlin, Harry, what happened to you? Where have you been? And, is that a...tattoo!?"

"Ah, yeah... A snitch, see?" Harry said with a weak smile, turning his arm. Sirius blinked.

"It's so red."

"It's new."

"Where's the bandage!?" Remus blurted out, concern tight in his voice.

"Came off in the taxi but that's not the point. The point it that-"

"Not the point!? Harry, you could get a disease or contract anything from-"

"Remus! Please, not now. What's that one?" Sirius interrupted, his eyes trained on Harry's oldest tattoo.

"Oh... Right. That's my first one. You- Well, you can work out what it is yourself." Harry murmured, holding out his arm. Remus stepped forward to look.

"Oh... Harry, that's- It's... It is so..." Sirius whispered.

"I know." Harry said with a smile.

"It's good." Remus acknowledged. His eyes were slightly misty.

"Prongs..." Sirius whispered and reached out to brush his fingers over the stag in the tattoo.

"And, Lily." Remus murmured, reaching out to tap the flower before quickly retracting his hand.

"Any other tattoos I should know about?" Sirius asked and cleared his throat, dropping his hand.

"Nah, it's just this."

"And the medal in your lip."

"You like? I did that." Em piped up, stepping forward.

"Well, she didn't actually pierce it but I let her choose what I got pierced and-"

"Merlin's beard, she looks just like you!" Sirius yelled, gaping at her in shock.

"Twins!" Josh called out, snickering with Olivia.

"Okay, that's insane." Sirius breathed out, staring at her closely.

"You're telling me." Harry and Em spoke simultaneously and shot each other the same lopsided grin. It was like Fred and George.

"Okay, we can come back to that later. First off, I want to know why my godson looks like...like some rebel threw up all over him. Where are your glasses? Why the tattoos? Who are these people? Where are your old clothes? _Where have you been_?" Sirius huffed.

"Alright, don't get your knickers in a twist..." Harry muttered, rolling his eyes. Sirius blinked and Remus had to stifle a laugh.

"Harry, is he a werewolf!?" Nick suddenly burst out. Harry wasn't even moving and he nearly tripped.

"What the hell? How did you get that?" Harry burst out with wide eyes.

"The promise! You know, the one to hug a werewolf as soon as you see him because he's got a horrible life. That's the only promise and...and, yeah..." Nick shrugged. Harry stared at him.

"Don't be daft, Nick. Werewolves aren't real." Olivia said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, don't call him daft. You don't know what's real and what isn't. For all we know, people used to think redheads didn't exist." Josh defended Nick.

"You _know_ that offends me!" Olivia snapped.

"And, Nick is smart!" Josh retorted.

"Oh, shove it. You just want to shag him!"

"Bite me, Ginger."

"Fuck off the both of you. Nick might be right. We can all admit that we've...witnessed weird things. Harry?" Em said sternly. Harry gaped wordlessly.

"You wouldn't lie to us, would you?" Josh said with a frown, moving forward and reaching out to touch his elbow and smile trustingly.

"Stop it, prat. You're all idiots." Harry muttered.

"Fuck. He is..." Nick breathed, his eyes wide.

"What!? I never said-"

"But, you didn't deny it either." Nick said smartly, his eyes brightening as Harry snapped his mouth closed.

"Oh my god, he's a...a werewolf. That...that," Josh trailed off as his eyes darted over to stare wide eyed at Remus. Harry expected them to freak out and opened his mouth to lie once again to his muggle friends when Josh finished what he want to relay by saying, "That poor thing!"

Harry blinked as Josh surged forward and hugged Remus tightly. He gaped as the other three all moved forward and crowded around Remus, muttering about misunderstood creatures. And, all Harry could think about was how they were all clearly muggles without a predestined prejudice on werewolves. Hell, Harry was the same way, accepting and defensive, simply because he hadn't grown hearing the horror stories.

"Er... Hey, you lot! Let him go! You don't- It's not what you think." Harry called out. They all moved back, save for Josh who apparently like hugging Remus quite a lot. Harry sighed heavily and he and Nick yanked the joking bloke away. Remus swayed, his eyes wide as saucers.

"Harry- What..."

"I promise I will explain later." Harry vowed.

"We will hold you to that." Sirius said tightly, narrowing his eyes at Josh who smirked and winked at Remus. Harry sighed. He had a headache.

"First, explain everything else."

"Right. Okay, so... You can imagine my surprise when I'm informed of this place called Karlbergs..."

Harry shot off talking, letting everything come out that he'd held in. He explained about the place and how he met his new friends. He told about getting his tattoo and piercing and told about the schedule he had to follow. He went into great detail about Karlbergs, faltering only once as he skipped over the part where they had been abused. Sirius and Remus listened intently, not interrupting once.

"Harry, we were all under the impression that you either ran away or got kidnapped." Sirius said, distress clouding his voice.

"What?"

"The Dursleys said that-"

"And, you _believed_ them!?" Olivia interrupted Remus hotly, offended on Harry's behalf.

"Well, he hadn't contacted us and-"

"I wanted to! I swear I did. But, I couldn't." Harry blurted out earnestly.

"So, now you lot are all in jail." Sirius murmured.

"Yeah, we never planned on getting caught, you see." Em said with a laugh.

"But, now I've got the right to say that I was at least arrested once before. Hey, Harry, I'm a lot like your godfather more than you thought, eh?" Josh joked, elbowing Harry and nudging him obnoxiously.

"Yeah, speaking of, how is he in a jail and not being arrested? I thought he was wanted?" Nick asked with a frown. Sirius arched an eyebrow at Harry.

"You told them?"

"Well, sort of. I mean, they know that you're innocent. They don't know actually _who_ you are but...they know the situation." Harry admitted sheepishly.

"You trust them." Remus said and it wasn't a question, merely an observation.

"Yeah, I do." Harry said firmly.

"Good enough for me." Sirius murmured with a shrug.

"But, Nick has a point. How exactly are you in here?" Harry asked curiously.

"Magic, Harry. How else? A flick of the wand and-"

"SIRIUS!" Harry cut him off loudly, shaking his head frantically. Sirius immediately fell silent and stared at Harry who winced. His friends were staring between Harry and Sirius.

"Wand? Magic? Is that what-"

"Em, _please_ , not now." Harry begged.

"No! No, I want to know."

"I thought you said you trusted them." Sirius huffed.

Yeah, Harry, I thought you trusted us." Em echoed.

"I do but as a muggle. Remember that, Sirius? They're muggles." Harry snapped, scowling.

"Muggle? What's that?" Josh asked in interest.

"And, why does it sound like an insult?" Olivia asked.

"I'm not a muggle, though, am I?" Em pressed, walking closer to Harry and grabbing his arm.

"I will explain later!" Harry said loudly, waving them off.

"No! Harry James Potter, you tell us right now or so help me... I will- I will tell Sirius your secret." Olivia insisted, going as far as to threaten.

"Wha- I don't have a-"

"Don't you?" Olivia murmured, her voice lowering and her eyes glinting with a knowing look. Harry blinked and he felt worry flash through him. Did she really know a secret of some sort? What might've he said that he wouldn't want Sirius to know?

"Okay, fine. It's- I'm... It's hard to explain."

"We are in jail. It's not exactly like we're going anywhere." Josh pointed out.

"Okay, well... I'm a- There is this world that... Er..." Harry trailed off, feeling foolish.

"Just spit it out, mate." Josh said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm a wizard!" Harry burst out, immediately grimacing after he had spoken. They stared at him.

"A wizard...? As in, like, spells and potions and such?" Nick asked slowly, blinking in surprise.

"You don't even take chemistry, do you?" Em hissed, her eyes narrowing.

"It really was potions class he said!" Olivia muttered.

"And, the stick he always has on him... That's a wand? No, no, this is all a joke." Josh said.

"Except, what about what happened all these years with Em?" Olivia asked, frowning. Harry blinked as his friends took to discussing the issue amongst themselves.

"All the strange things that I've ever done... So, I'm magical too?" Em asked Harry directly.

"You're a witch." Harry said.

"Excuse you. That's rude. If anyone here is a witch, bitch, or arse, it's you. How could you keep something like this from us?" Josh huffed.

"No, it's not like that. I mean, we're both magical people. A girl is just called a witch and a bloke is called a wizard."

"Oh, wow. Not even the magical world can escape sexism. Couldn't just be called magical folk." Olivia muttered.

."Wait, you can't be serious, right?" Nick spoke up.

"I'm not lying." Harry said.

"Prove it. Do magic then." Nick said fiercely.

"Hey, he doesn't mean that. We believe you, Harry. If you say you are a wizard and fly about on broomsticks, we will believe you. Right?" Josh said.

"I suppose but proof would be nice." Olivia murmured.

"I can't do it, anyhow. I'm underage and will get expelled from my magical school, Hogwarts, if I do magic." Harry said.

"Hogwarts?" Em asked doubtfully.

"Great school." Harry mumbled defensively.

"This is mad." Em said.

"This is bullshit." Nick scoffed.

"Nick, stop it." Josh said in disapproval.

"No, he's just jerking us around. I'm not gullible enough to-"

" _Wingardium Leviosa_."

Remus' voice rang out clear and his wand swished and flicked neatly through the air. Nick gave a yelp as he started hovering in the air. The others gasped and gaped at the fumbling Nick. Harry couldn't help but laugh at the stunned look on Nick's face. He shot Remus a thankful grin and Remus dropped the spell. Nick tumbled to the floor with a dull thud.

"Holy queen of England! He's not lying." Nick burst out as he scrambled to his feet.

"You were willing to believe in werewolves but not in magic? This is coming from the boy who magically sneaks things onto the Karlbergs bus every year." Olivia commented with a snort.

"You can do that, Harry? I mean, like...float him?" Josh asked, his eyes bright with mischief.

"Probably." Harry said.

"I can do things like that?" Em whispered, her eyes on Remus' wand.

"Probably not at first. Magic is like a muscle. You have to use it often to strengthen it." Remus informed her.

"Wow. That's wicked." Josh breathed out.

"You don't really fly around on brooms, do you?" Olivia asked suddenly. Harry chuckled.

"I do, actually. It's quite fun." Harry told her.

"Oh? Want to ride my broomstick, Harry?" Josh teased, waggling his eyebrows. Harry flushed and gave him a dirty look.

"Is that your wand or are you just happy to see me?" Olivia giggled. Her and Josh high fived.

"Must you make an innuendo in all conversations?" Nick muttered, rolling his eyes.

"If there is a chance, I will take it." Josh said and theatrically puffed his chest out.

"Idiot." Nick said almost fondly.

"Okay but... Can we talk about the fact that Harry has been lying to us this whole time?" Em said in a hard tone, her eyes glinting as they glared at Harry.

"Oh... Right." Josh murmured, his smile evaporating.

Harry swallowed, startled at the hurt he felt. Olivia furrowed an eyebrow and Nick looked genuinely hurt. Of course, Harry felt guilt but at the same time, he felt defensive. What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to just tell them everything? It wasn't safe for him and they wouldn't understand. Hell, they didn't even understand at all. Especially not right now.

"Why would you do that, Harry?" Nick murmured. Harry shot a hopeless look at Sirius but his godfather just shrugged and was _absolutely no help whatsoever_. Thanks a lot, Sirius.

"I couldn't very well just tell you all about it."

"And, why not?" Em snapped.

"What was I to say? If I'd said it, you wouldn't have believed me and besides, I never lied. I just... I never told you about that part of my life."

"You aren't two different people, Harry. You can't be wizard Harry and muggle Harry. They are one in the same. And, it's not fair for you to hide that from us." Olivia murmured quietly.

"I didn't meant to do that. It's just hard. Even now, there is so much you don't know about me."

"Then, you make us understand. We told you everything you wanted to know and we didn't hold back _anything_. I never expected you to understand what it was like to be constantly moving all the time but I still told you about hopping from home to home, didn't I?" Nick pointed out.

"Bit different than a whole other world right under your noses. I can't just go spouting off about magic and Hogwarts and basilisks and animagus' and Voldemort, can I? You won't understand a word of it. You'll think I'm mad." Harry replied desperately.

"Like you don't think I am or Em is or Olivia or Josh. We're all mad, that much is clear. Misfits, Harry. It actually means something to us."

"It does to me, too. I just... My whole life from eleven is this whole other world that I never even knew. I wanted- just for once- I wanted to be normal."

"But, that's the thing, Harry, we aren't normal. Even your normal self isn't normal." Josh said.

"But, I could be me. You don't get it. I'm famous in the wizarding world." Harry said.

"What? Why?" Em asked in surprise.

"There- It's a lot that I promise I will tell you. I swear. First, I want to know what Sirius and Remus are going to do. After that, I will explain _everything_."

"Well, we were taking you back to Grimmauld Place. You can't go back to Karlbergs, Harry." Remus told him. Harry blinked before stepping back and sinking down to sit down on the bench.

"You want to take me and leave them here?" Harry asked flatly.

Sirius and Remus shared a look. Harry wondered why he hadn't ever suspected they were together. They could communicate through one look. If that wasn't a certain type of bond, Harry didn't know what was. Sirius bit his lip and Remus fiddled with his shirt sleeve. They both looked guilty and Harry's stomach filled with icy dread. They had planned to do exactly what Harry had just said.

"Harry-"

"No. Absolutely not. You can go, sure, but I'm not leaving them. I won't." Harry said firmly.

"You want to go back to Karlbergs?" Sirius asked sharply. Harry gave a bitter laugh.

"No. But, I won't leave them. They're family." Harry said without hesitation. Sirius' eyebrows climbed and he shared another look with Remus.

"Well, we aren't leaving you so..." Sirius trailed off.

"So... They are coming." Harry said casually but his eyes were hard with determination.

"If we have no other choice." Sirius agreed, a small smile curling up his lips.

"We could always stupefy him and tie him up and-"

"Just try it." Em cut Remus' musings off, standing up and glowering at the two adults.

"We'll take him and run away and disappear before you could blink." Nick threatened.

"Just try it." Em repeated, her eyes narrowed.

"Oh no, that won't be necessary." Remus said easily, his lips twitching.

"Good because I'd hate to have to bash in that cute head of yours." Josh said with a smirk, winking at Remus. Nick reached over and smacked Josh over the back of his head.

"So, would you like to see the wizarding world firsthand?" Harry asked quietly. The others shared a pensive and questioning look.

"Only if you explain on the way." Em said finally.

"Alright, deal." Harry agreed.

"Right then, you lot. Let's get on with this."


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: So, here is that second chapter. Read and review, please! Also, if you've got any ideas or questions or anything like that, just let me know! Enjoy :)**

"But, what makes them fly?"

"Nick, _I don't know_. Ask Remus. If anyone would know, it's him."

"And, you said portraits can talk, right?"

"Yes, Josh, they can."

"Wicked."

"So, the wand chooses the wizard?"

"That's what Ollivander said, Em."

"There is no way that Unicorns are even real."

"For the third time, Olivia, yes they are! I've seen one."

Harry sighed and scrubbed at his forehead. His friends were muttering continuously and his head was starting to throb. He sent a pleading look up to the amused Remus and Sirius. It was probably the twentieth he'd shot at them, begging them for their help. Finally, they cracked. Sirius smiled and grabbed Olivia and Josh by the scruffs of their necks and hauled them up beside him as they made indignant noises. Remus fell back and positioned himself between Nick and Em. Harry was blissfully between the two groups and finally free of questions.

It was surprising how hard it was to tell a muggle about the wizarding world. Harry could barely focus on that for feeling jittery. They were walking down the street, heading towards Grimmauld Place. They'd called Harvey back and Josh had cheerfully paid the ride. It had been amusing to see Sirius sprawled out into Remus' lap up front. They had stopped a few blocks away from Grimmauld Place and were walking the rest of the way. And, the whole time, it had been filled up with Harry telling the others _everything_.

The wizarding world was surprisingly harder to explain than he'd thought. He couldn't believe that Hagrid had managed all those years ago. Though, Harry highly suspected it had more to do with his age than actually understanding what Hagrid had told him. It would all be more clear when they actually saw some of it, Harry assumed. Besides, the misfits were a curious bunch and wanted to know everything. Particularly Em, who was looking more animated than Harry had ever actually seen her since she was talking to Butch.

Remus, however, looked quite content with the misfits. When he told about werewolves, because Josh hadn't let it go, they hadn't even batted an eyelash at his less than pleasant depiction of himself and his species. He appeared to like the questions, and the frequent winks Josh kept throwing him seemed to amuse him as much as Sirius' annoyed gaze as reaction did. Harry sighed as he listened to them badger Sirius and Remus about anything and everything.

Harry couldn't deny it, he had tuned them all out. Their words had become background noise and Harry had gotten lost in thought. He hadn't meant to, of course, but it just happened. So, that was why he jerked violently when an arm descended around his shoulder. He snapped his head up and blinked at his bemused godfather's face. Harry relaxed and gave a tired smile and Sirius gave a tired smile back. Harry could admit that his godfather looked better and better as time went on, as he shed the residue Azkaban left on him. Still, he also looked as tired, if not more.

"You alright, pup?" Sirius asked him quietly. Harry glanced up and saw that Remus had taken on all four of the teens but didn't looked frazzled at all.

"Born to be a professor, wasn't he? Yes, Sirius, I'm alright." Harry replied.

"You look different." Sirius told him and Harry chuckled.

"So, do you. Happier. Remus been good to you?" Harry asked, meeting Sirius' eyes. Sirius grinned, once again looking ten years younger.

"Yes, he has." Sirius said before his smile fell. "That's okay with you, isn't it? I mean... I want you to be okay with Remus and I."

"Just love who you love and be happy. That's all." Harry said, quoting Olivia with a fond smile at the wisdom she had passed on. Sirius looked at him in delighted surprise.

"You do look different, Harry, but I think you truly are different." Sirius told him.

"Maybe." Harry said cautiously.

"I mean that in a good way. You seem more confident."

"Might have something to do with the fact that I look like a regular juvenile." Harry mused and Sirius smiled.

"Noticed that, did you? Your father would've been so enthusiastic about your new look. Your mother would've been supportive. They would've loved it. James, especially. He had a thing for the rebels."

"Yeah?" Harry asked in amusement. A tiny smile curled his lips, one he couldn't contain. It made warmth settle in his chest to hear Sirius reassure him.

"Yeah. It was one of the reasons he kept me around. Anyhow, I think you look brilliant, not that my opinion really matters but-"

"It does." Harry cut him off, looking up at him seriously.

"Well," Sirius cleared his throat, clearly pleased, "I will tell you that I like it, then."

"I'm the same bloke, though, Sirius. I really haven't changed that much." Harry told him. Sirius snorted and reached out to ruffle his messy hair.

"Well, forgoing the fact that old women will hide their bags when you're near, I don't suppose you have. But, I wasn't teasing you about seeming more confident." Sirius quipped.

"Same old me, Sirius, I promise."

"The same old you would've egged a house, then?" Sirius challenged, nudging him to soften his words. Harry grimaced anyway.

"I wasn't going to, not at first. I don't particularly like getting in trouble, you know, but sometimes I just can't help it. This time was my fault, I'll admit. It was just..." Harry trailed off, biting his lip.

"They didn't pressure you, did they? I did my fair share of pressuring Remus all during my school years when I shouldn't have. You shouldn't feel as if you have to do anything you don't want to. If they-"

"Sirius, I wanted to. If I really hadn't, they wouldn't have forced me and I know that. Relax." Harry said quickly. Sirius sighed and nodded, squeezing the arm around Harry's shoulder.

"Sorry."

"No worries, Sirius. It was just... It felt good to mess with the Dursleys. Do you know how many times I was forced to wash their car but never was allowed to go anywhere unless they had no choice? Do you know how many times I had to weed and mow the lawn in the beating sun without any reward or even acknowledgment? It was a relief to finally just get back at them. Besides, they treat me like a juvenile so... Why not show them what a real juvenile is?"

Sirius pulled him to an abrupt stop and Harry blinked up at his godfather. Sirius was peering down at him, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Remus and the others kept walking but Remus slowed down the pace. Harry felt nervous at what had Sirius so...well, for a lack of a better word, so serious.

"Revenge? That's what that was?" Sirius asked him solemnly, expecting a real answer.

"I- No. Yes. No. All I know is that it was a relief after everything they've put me through and how they treated me. It was worth it. It was exciting and I hope that the Dursleys are knee deep in egg yolk right at this moment." Harry said.

"They deserved it?"

"Yes."

"Okay, Harry. Just remember that you can't get back at everyone who has ever wronged you. Sometimes, it really isn't for the best."

Harry stared up at his godfather, his own green eyes blinking. Used to, he would've let it go. Maybe Sirius was right and he had changed. Before, he would've brushed off what he wanted to say and kept it to himself. But now, he wasn't going to hold it back. And, why should he? Merlin, Sirius was right. He was different, even if it was just that he had more defiance.

"That's rich, coming from you." Harry blurted out. Sirius blinked and opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. Harry held strong, despite the guilt he felt. He wasn't about to take it back.

"I'm sorry?"

"No need to apologize."

"I wasn't-"

"I'm just saying, Sirius, that it _is_ rich coming from you. You tell me that revenge isn't always the best way and trust me, I know that. Not from personal experience but from you. It is a bit hypocritical because it was your need for revenge that put you in Azkaban. I don't blame you, don't even disagree with you. It's just- Well, if you hadn't went after Peter that night, I might've never needed to egg the Dursleys home."

And, Harry knew that he wasn't explaining it all that well but he believed what he said. Sirius stared at him blankly for a long moment, looking as if he hadn't heard a word Harry had said. Harry almost regretted saying what he did because he didn't doubt that it would hurt Sirius. But, he didn't have the capacity to hold back anymore. He needed Sirius to understand that he loved him despite all that Sirius had ever done. Finally, Sirius moved and he frowned hard.

"You're right, of course. I am sorry-"

"Stop apologizing. I never ever said that I blamed you for anything. I just said the truth. And, the truth is that you are a loyal man with a tendency to be a hothead. A lot like Ron, actually. I don't think dad and mum would blame you either."

Sirius didn't seem to have an answer to that and simply pulled Harry into a tight, quick hug. Harry smiled into Sirius' shoulder, feeling happy that he was honest and Sirius wasn't angry or upset. Sirius pulled away, giving a small smile, but kept his arm around Harry's shoulder. They started back walking and Harry watched Sirius watch Remus. Harry liked to think that Sirius would be okay, no matter what. He was reminded that he had nearly lost Sirius once and he put his arm around Sirius, sighing in relief.

"Everything will be okay one day." Sirius promised.

"Yeah, it will."

"So, what is that little redhead got over on you?" Sirius asked him, turning to smirk at him. Harry wrinkled his nose and huffed.

"Her name is Olivia and I have no idea. That's the problem. It could be anything."

"Ah, made the mistake of letting them see you in multiple displays of humiliation, did you?" Sirius laughed.

"Shove off! That's not what it is. Olivia is cheeky and really, really good at getting what she wants. I don't doubt she could tell you, or anyone, something about me. Maybe it's that I snore." Harry muttered, rolling his eyes. Sirius snickered.

"You sleep near her, then?" Sirius asked lightly, smirking down at Harry.

"Oh- Uh, no... Well, I mean- Yes- Or, actually... We- Well, we've slept together. Wait- that came out wrong! I just- We haven't..." Harry stammered until Sirius burst out laughing, ruffling Harry's hair again.

"Relax, pup, I was kidding. But, did you really sleep with her?"

"Yes. All of us did. We all shared a bed." Harry admitted, blushing heavily as he remembered waking up to Olivia cuddled into his side more than once.

"Interesting, Harry." Sirius said, managing to keep a straight face. Harry growled and pinched him.

"It isn't like that! We're all just friends."

"Friends who share the same bed and hold hands. Do you snog and shag too?" Sirius asked playfully. Harry blushed even harder as he was reminded of the time Olivia snogged him thoroughly. Sirius stared at him before realization washed over his face.

"Don't-"

"You have, haven't you!? Which one? The twin? I hope not because that'd be weird. The redhead? It wouldn't surprise me. Your father had a thing for redheads also." Sirius laughed in delight.

"Oh, shut up, Sirius! I'm not with any of them. And, who do you know it wasn't Josh or Nick?" Harry huffed.

"You're gay?" Sirius asked doubtfully.

"I don't know. And, if you must know, it was Olivia. And, it was nice but no, we will probably never do it again. I don't have a thing for redheads. I rather like blonds, actually." Harry snapped and the cringed when that last sentence fell past his lips. Merlin, what was he saying!?

"Your discomfort amuses me." Sirius told him.

"It's not funny, really."

"You know, I didn't mention Nick or Jacob-"

"Josh."

"Whatever. I didn't mention them because they clearly have a thing for each other." Sirius finished.

"So obvious, isn't it?" Harry snorted.

"Almost sad, really."

"Well, they don't talk about it. We just keep waiting for it boil over and happen." Harry said.

"Mhm." Sirius hummed.

"It was Olivia that made me think about you and Remus. She made me see the world in a whole new way." Harry informed him. Sirius pursed his lips.

"We were dancing around each other for a while, Harry. Just recently, after everything happened at the ministry, I staked my claim so to speak."

"Oh? How'd you do that?"

"That blasted clumsy cousin of mine has gathered a rather hopeless crush." Sirius huffed with a pouty scowl. Harry thought back to the way he had seen Remus eyeing both Sirius and Tonks.

"Maybe not so hopeless, actually." Harry murmured. Sirius glanced at him sharply.

"What?"

"You're the jealous type, aren't you?" Harry asked, amused. Sirius sniffed in a way reminiscent to what Draco Malfoy sometimes did. Harry cursed himself for even thinking about that git again.

"I'm not _jealous_. I just- I'm possessive. It has a lot to do with Padfoot. Marking territory is second nature to me. Literally."

"Well, I'm sure that Remus is more than happy with you. I'm just saying, Tonks is rather cool."

"That's all good and fine. She can be _cool_ away from Moony." Sirius tutted. Harry had to swallow a laugh.

"So, when did you realize you fancied him, anyway? I mean, it is Professor Lupin, after all. It's a bit bizarre, really." Harry said.

"I realized it about the time Tonks decided that she would flirt with him. It made Remus uncomfortable and it made me... _not jealous_...but not happy. It was a bloody mess, coming to terms with my feelings."

"Why?" Harry asked curiously.

"I never expected to fall in love again." Sirius admitted, going for nonchalance and failing.

"Again? Who did you love originally?" Harry asked and Sirius paled. He cleared his throat and his face smoothed out.

"Look at me, discussing romance with my godson. Not very appropriate, is it? I don't think-"

"Sirius." Harry said sternly. Sirius tutted.

"It was Remus, way back when we were in Hogwarts. We had a thing. But then, the rat mucked it all up. No, scratch that, the war mucked it all up. No, scratch that again, _I_ mucked it all up. I never expected to be given another chance or to even feel the same way. But, love is fickle and demanding, I suppose."

"How lovely. Your school sweetheart." Harry teased, hoping to get Sirius to relax and loosen up again. It worked as Sirius laughed and ruffled Harry's hair once again. Harry grinned at him.

"Oh, bother." Sirius muttered, his eyes shifting up. Harry turned to look and seen that they had arrived.

"I know you hate it here." Harry mumbled.

"Remus makes it better. As do you." Sirius assured him. Harry frowned.

"I'll take you for a walk on some days. Quite frankly, I'm shocked that you are out in the open now. It really isn't safe and I don't want you hurt."

"Relax, pup. The whole wizarding world, ministry and death eaters and Voldemort included, are in a state of disarray. Things are to chaotic now for me to be focussed on. However, I'll take you up on them walks."

"Why is everything chaotic?" Harry asked in confusion. Sirius looked at him incredulously.

"Harry, you were missing. Of course, the whole wizarding world would be going nuts."

"Wait, everyone knows!?" Harry shouted, pulling to a stop. Sirius' eyebrows shot up.

"Yes. Dumbledore was under the impression that the ministry had taken you and had to go poking around. The ministry found out and the next day, your disappearance was everywhere. According to Snape, Voldemort is equally stressed. Apparently, he is unhappy that you disappeared and he missed his chance." Sirius explained.

"Of course, he would be. He missed his chance to kill me. Again." Harry snapped bitterly.

"Yes, but now you are back so..." Sirius said with a shrug. Harry frowned.

"I can't believe my disappearance was all over the wizarding world." Harry muttered almost petulantly. Sirius laughed and removed his arm, clapping him on the back lightly.

"Come on in and let's face their wrath together."

"What do you deserve wrath for?"

"Well, when Remus gave me the news, I left even when I wasn't supposed to. Dumbledore is surely to be furious but I don't mind. You are most important." Sirius said with a shrug as they reached the others.

"Thanks, Sirius." Harry murmured.

"Ready?" Remus asked them. Harry sighed and nodded. The others blinked rapidly as if in a trance.

"I can't- We have to go back." Nick murmured, fidgeting and bouncing.

"There is nothing here." Olivia huffed.

"Muggle repelling charms. They'll be fine once they are truly inside."

"I see it fine after Remus gave me the slip." Em commented, frowning at Nick. She walked over and grabbed his hand to try and calm him down.

"I feel like I'm going to be sick." Josh muttered, swaying on the spot. Sirius frowned.

"Hurry up and go in."

Harry didn't hesitate. He waved his friends to follow him and they did, slowly but surely. Remus and Sirius took the rear, making sure the others wouldn't run. Harry fiddled with the knob, continuously turning to stare at his friends in concern. Josh was starting to look green and Nick looked panicked. Olivia looked surprisingly angry. Harry got the door open and they all shuffled in. As soon as the door clicked shut, the other relaxed and stared around in shock.

" _HARRY_!"

Harry whirled around and was nearly knocked off his feet as someone collided with him. His vision was obscured by thick brown hair that tried to enter his mouth and strangle him. He spat out the curls and patted Hermione on the back. She pulled back, her face already stern as she prepared to lecture him.

"What were you thinking, Harry Potter!? You could've been put in jail and-"

"Hermione, I _was_ put in jail." Harry pointed out.

"For longer! What would you have done had Remus not been there, hmm? Of all the irresponsible things to do and-"

"Harry! Mate, what happened to you!?" Ron blurted out as he and his siblings came out from the kitchen. Ginny halted and gaped at Harry like she was back in first year and the twins looked genuinely impressed.

"Ron, I was talking." Hermione snapped.

"Lecturing more like. Harry would've tuned you out, anyways." Ron snorted.

"Hey, Harrykins. Don't you look massively rebellious? Mum is going to freak out." Fred laughed.

"We love it." George said in approval.

"Thanks. Er, guys, I want to introduce you to my friends. This is Josh-"

"Is that a troll leg?" Josh muttered, starting to walk over. Harry reached out and snagged him, pulling him back. Josh tsked but stayed put.

"This is Olivia."

"I'm surrounded by gingers and I feel honestly attacked right now." Olivia said, crossing her arms and glaring at Ron as if Ron had kicked her cat.

"Right, don't mind her. This is Nick."

"I just want to understand how this wasn't here and then suddenly was. It's magic, I know, but how does that even work? How does the magic know who's a muggle and who isn't?"

"Curious as you can see. Hermione, you'll love him. And, this is Em. No, we're not twins."

"I live with nuns."

Harry sighed and wondered what to do with himself. How could he have such diversity in his groups of friends. He looked between the two groups and frowned. He cleared his throat and turned back to his original group of friends. Well, they were all his friends. So, wasn't that one whole group? It was hard to think about and he didn't want to.

"Okay, this is Hermione."

"Still don't think you were right to egg the Dursleys, Harry, and-"

"She could go on for hours, trust me. This is Ron."

"What's that even mean about gingers?"

"I said not to pay her any mind. This is Ginny."

"Harry, you have a tattoo."

"She doesn't actually sound that high pitched normally, I promise. This is Fred."

"I'm better looking than George."

"And, this is George."

"Fred has it all wrong but I don't have the heart to tell him, honestly."

"Right, now that everyone has met everyone, I'm sure that all hell will break loose within fifteen seconds."

And, Harry was not wrong.

…

Dinner was an awkward affair. Harry sat in between Em and Sirius and was in sight of everyone, which turned out to be absolutely dreadful. Mrs. Weasley kept staring at him as if she was entirely disappointed with his whole new appearance. Mr. Weasley was in a deep conversation with Olivia on how bicycles worked. Ginny couldn't stop staring at him or whispering to Tonks. Remus kept fidgeting and avoiding Tonks' eyes. That wasn't even all, actually.

Nick and Hermione were getting along swimmingly and Ron kept glaring at Nick accusingly. Josh had taken to snickering with the twins and flirting blatantly with Remus to set Sirius off. Em kept asking Mad-eye to regale stories of grand magic, which he graciously indulged her in. Sirius kept trying to get _all_ of Remus' undivided attention and Remus kept getting frazzled as everyone kept pulling his attention away purposefully. As for Harry, well, he tried to stay as quiet as possible and stay out of the line of fire.

It was possibly the most terrible day of his life. First, he gets arrested in front of his ex professor, then his muggle friends find out he'd been lying to them about his whole life, _and then_ he had to introduce those offended muggle friends to his magical friends. The whole introductions had dissolved into a mess in about ten seconds flat. It didn't even get to fifteen.

Luckily, Molly Weasley wasn't a mother of seven for nothing. She called order, got everyone calmed down, and then caught sight of Harry. She'd been faint with shock and demanded that he get that lip ring out that instant. He had politely refused and everything had went down hill again from there. It took Mad-eye bellowing loudly and clomping his leg continuously for everyone to shut up. Mrs. Weasley had stiffly said that dinner was ready and everyone could talk then.

Harry had to admit that it could've been worse. It was Hermione who had tentatively delved into talking to the other friends. Of course, she had went into the safe route and struck up a conversation with Nick. Everyone, or mostly everyone, slowly followed her lead and it was like walking on a tightrope, or witnessing someone else walking on a tightrope because he was stubbornly staying out of it. Or, he had assumed that he was as he'd planned to.

"Isn't that right, Harry?" Josh asked loudly. The twins were wearing identical devilish grins and Josh looked seconds away from giggling. Harry, up until this point, hadn't been paying attention. He did now.

"What?" He asked cautiously.

"Isn't it right that this recent experience with the police wasn't your first?" Josh asked in delight. Harry frowned and looked at the other misfits.

"What are you on about?"

"Remember Dawson?" Josh asked with a smirk. Harry's face cleared and he scowled.

"Shut up."

"I'm just saying, everyone here thinks you're so innocent. If only they knew." Josh teased. Harry caught sight of Mrs. Weasley stiffening.

"Josh, shut up."

"No, Harry, he's right. They have no _idea_ naughty you are." Olivia said with an exaggerated wink.

"Okay, all of you shut up. Yes, Em, that includes you too." Harry muttered, fiddling with his fork. Em snapped her mouth shut and sulked.

"Naughty? Harry's not- Harry, what sort of trouble with the police have you been in?" Hermione asked curiously. Harry felt a headache coming on.

"Yes, Harry, do tell." Sirius said, arching an eyebrow.

"I didn't go to jail." Harry said quickly. Sirius smirked, looking faintly amused.

"Because, I didn't let you get caught." Em interjected.

"What!? _You_ didn't let _me_ get caught!?" Harry blurted out, turning to her.

"Right."

"How do you figure?"

"I'm just saying. If I hadn't pulled you with me, you would've kept on standing there, gaping at the policemen."

"Excuse you! I ran faster than you." Harry huffed.

"I am sorry to tell you this Harry but _I_ was dragging you along."

"No, you weren't! _I_ was running ahead of _you_."

"Okay, but it doesn't matter!" Olivia interrupted quickly with a roll of her eyes. "The point is that you two beat us there."

"Speaking of, how did we manage that? You lot had a head start and only one policeman after you. Harry and I had two and-"

"Really? We did?" Harry cut in.

"Mhm."

"You think I would've noticed."

"You didn't notice you were bleeding so why would you notice who was pursuing us?" Em asked.

"Right but still. I'm normally more observant."

"Adrenaline took over, that's all. Anyway, back to my original question. How exactly did we manage to beat you all to the woods? You had a head start, had less policemen after you, and had the shorter route."

"Josh kept trying to throw pinecones at the policemen and Nick kept tripping." Olivia explained.

" _I did not_!" Nick snapped.

"I got the fat one in the face." Josh snickered.

"You- Harry, you outran the police?" Hermione asked weakly. Harry jolted, having forgotten the others. They were staring between the misfits and him curiously.

"Two apparently." Harry replied with a shrug.

"And, just what were you doing to outrun said police?" Mrs. Weasley asked tersely.

"Well... It's complicated." Harry mumbled.

"We got into a fight." Em supplied helpfully.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley burst out, scandalized. Sirius looked at him, his eyebrows furrowed. Harry groaned.

"Look, it's not like that! There was this group of prats and they were being snots. A fight broke out and I couldn't just abandon my friends." Harry explained.

"Saved my life, he did." Josh said dramatically, swooning at Harry and blowing him a kiss. Harry halfheartedly caught it and put it in his pocket.

"Did he just-" Ron started.

"So, our little Harrykins isn't so innocent, eh? Do tell us more." George said with a grin.

"Well... There was that one time that he broke into a house with us." Josh said with a chuckle.

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried again.

"It was his house!" Harry shouted, pointing to Josh.

"I do not care! That is still breaking and entering!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

"It wasn't like that-"

"Molly, cut him some slack." Sirius spoke up, reaching out to squeeze Harry's shoulder.

"Yeah, mum, it is only against the rules if you're caught." Fred laughed, high fiving George.

"I will not condone that sort of behavior!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"Mrs. Weasley-"

"No, Harry! This is ridiculous. You've been _missing_! No one knew what happened to you and you were gone for weeks. Then, you come back, showing up without any explanation, and expect us to not ask questions. What's worse, you look like a regular ruffian! You have a tattoo and a ring in your lip!"

Harry opened his mouth but she was on a roll.

"We don't know what happened or where you've been and we've been worried sick! And now, _now_ , we learn that you've been going about and getting into all sorts of trouble while we were looking for you. We had no idea if you were dead or alive and we were doing everything we could!"

Harry tried to say something but she wasn't done.

"We thought you were kidnapped by the death eaters or dead! Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, we all were frantic! And, you were out and about with this lot of- of, well, juveniles! They've clearly been nothing but a bad influence for you've-"

Harry stood up so fast his chair toppled over. Mrs. Weasley fell silent, her breathing coming out in short pants. Harry was clenching his jaw so tight that it nearly hurt. He braced his hands on the table and leaned forward to meet her eyes. His heart hammered and his head throbbed. And, He felt worse than he ever had before. He felt angry and like he was going to throw up all over the set table.

"Let me make one thing very, very clear, Mrs. Weasley. These 'juveniles' are my friends and I'm a whole lot more like them than you're willing to accept. And, you have them to thank for keeping me sane for those weeks that you were searching for me. Because, if it wasn't for them, I might've lost my mind in the behavioral center, or prison, whichever fits your fancy, that the Dursleys shipped me off to."

Harry whirled around and stalked out the room and out of the house, slamming the doors loudly behind him. He took a deep breath and ran.

…

Harry shut the door quietly behind him, wincing when it creaked. He peered around cautiously, half expecting Mrs. Weasley or Sirius to descend on him immediately. The hall was dark and the whole house was seemingly silent. He took a few steps, biting his lip and still, no one came out to lecture him. He sighed with relief and made to head up the stairs to hide. However, someone leaning against the banister and staring at him had him halting in his tracks.

"Hey, mate."

"Hey, Ron. They sent you to brave me, then?"

"Basically. Where'd you get off to?" Ron asked quietly, shuffling forward.

"I just went for a run."

"Oh? Make you feel better?"

"No." Harry muttered and Ron snorted. They stood there in awkward silence for a bit before Ron sighed heavily and walked over to stand beside him.

"You look so different."

"Good different or bad different?" Harry murmured, somehow feeling vulnerable when it came to Ron.

"Good, I suppose. You seem more...comfortable in your own skin. If that makes sense."

"Sirius says I'm more confident."

"Yeah, maybe."

"Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry I yelled at your mum." Harry mumbled. Ron looked at him in surprise.

"She didn't mean it, you know. She was just scared for you, we all were. Everyone was thinking the worst and the Dursleys were basically confirming it."

"I'm sorry that you were all worried." Harry said sheepishly, feeling awkward.

"Were you really sent to a juvenile facility?" Ron asked, looking at Harry with a faint smirk.

"Yeah, I was."

"The others, the muggles, or, well, the others you brought... They told us all a bit about the place."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. And, they told us a bit about you, too. They were quick to take pride in the fact that they corrupted you. Especially that Josh bloke."

"They didn't _corrupt_ me. I just... The Dursleys really made me angry by forcing me to go to Karlbergs. It was ridiculous." Harry muttered.

"Bloody idiots. That's all they are. I've mentioned for Fred and George to send them some...gifts. After they told us about that place, Hermione was more obliging to explain how the muggle post worked."

"Use owls. They really freak my uncle out." Harry said, cracking a small smile. Ron laughed.

"Mum was practically frantic after you left. She was apologizing to the others in that flustered way of hers. She'll no doubt try and smother you as soon as we go back into the dining room."

"Go back? In there? Are you mad?" Harry muttered, staring at the door that seemed to loom ominously.

"Don't be a prat, Harry. Mum wants to make it right. Besides, Fred and George bet me three galleons that I couldn't get you back in." Ron huffed.

"Sounds like a personal problem, mate."

"Harry! Help your best friend out here!"

Harry stared at the earnest expression on Ron's face and caved. Saying no would be like kicking a very adorable puppy. Impossible, really, unless you were evil. And, Harry wasn't. Besides, hearing Ron solidify that after everything weird that had happened over the past weeks, they were still best friends... Well, it made him happier. Ron was his first friend _ever_ and nothing was worth losing that and no one could replace that.

"Alright, fine." Harry sighed. Ron beamed.

"Brilliant. Come on, then. Oh, by the way, the others...well, they aren't that bad."

" _I_ know that, Ron. I just hope you all can see it."

"I think we do. The twins love that Josh bloke and Hermione seems extremely happy with Nick. The ginger has found that Ginny and her like the same hairstyles and your twin discovered Tonks' abilities and has been following her around like a puppy."

" _Not_ my twin, Ron. And, that's fantastic! I'm glad everyone's getting on." Harry said honestly.

"Well, after what they told about that place, everyone was a lot more accepting. It sounds dreadful, honestly. Mum immediately made cookies and tea and tried to stuff them full of it." Ron said. Harry came to a stop right outside the door.

"Wait, what stories did they tell?" Harry asked quietly, hand twitching around the doorknob. Ron suddenly looked uncomfortable and shuffled his feet.

"They told us about how the adults treated you lot..." Ron muttered. Harry tensed.

"The punishments. They told about the punishments."

"Yeah, mate, they did."

"So, everyone is getting on with each other because you all feel pity for us? Is that it?" Harry asked sharply. Ron looked at him with a frown.

"Of course not. The twins already have the hots for Josh's mischievous streak. Ginny loves finding a kindred spirit in hair. Tonks adores when people like her for her quirky ability. Hermione is in absolute heaven with her new friend who can carry on an actual intellectual discussion. Mum just wants to take care of anything that might need it."

"Oh... So, not pity then..." Harry mumbled sheepishly. Ron snorted and rolled his eyes.

"No. They all seem like genuine people. I don't think I've seen dad so happy and I'm entertained so... Sirius and Professor Lupin are happy that you're okay, even if they get a pack of muggles with you. Quite frankly, we all are. So, no, not pity."

"It's strange..." Harry mused, leaning against the door.

"What is?"

"Just seeing everyone together. It's odd because I always missed you lot when I was at Karlbergs but I wouldn't dare to leave them. It's nice is what I'm trying to say." Harry admitted.

"I suppose. Personally, I can't wait to see what Headmaster Dumbledore and Snape do."

"Where are they, anyway?"

"I don't know. I've heard whispering, of course. I tried to listen and get some information to tell you but the order is getting more tricky and sneaky. Still, they think I'm too dumb to pull anything of so..." Ron trailed off with a grin.

"Merlin, have they seen you play chess? Fools, that's what they are. Thanks for listening for me, mate. What _can_ you tell me?" Harry asked, leaning forward.

"Well, I know it has something to do with You-Know-Who and Draco Malfoy."

"What!?" Harry hissed, nearly tripping even though he wasn't walking. Ron nodded.

"They kept mentioning about the path Malfoy was going to take."

"What's that even mean? Do they mean...like, a death eater? Do you think Malfoy took the mark?" Harry whispered furiously.

"Nah, Malfoy is a git but he's too young. What's You-Know-Who want with a kid, anyway? What use would it be?"

"Ron, Voldemort is a sick fuck." Harry deadpanned. Ron winced and whether from the crude word or saying Voldemort, Harry didn't know.

"That's true. But, what could it mean about Malfoy's path, then?"

"Hmm... I don't know. What else did they say?"

"Well, Moody mentioned something about Snape summoning Dumbledore right now about Malfoy and that's why Dumbledore isn't here now." Ron said.

"So, something happened recently?"

"I suppose."

"D'you think he's alright?"

"Who?"

" _Ron_! Malfoy. Do you suppose he is okay?" Harry snapped, frowning. Ron looked at him incredulously.

"I don't know and I don't care. What does it matter? If he isn't, well...at least he can't go about causing any mess for us."

"Ron, that's...that's terrible."

"Harry, it's _Malfoy_."

"I'm well aware." Harry said shortly.

"What do you care, anyway?" Ron asked him.

"I don't." Harry said quickly, averting his eyes.

"Mhm. Forget it. Let's go on in. I bet Mum is about to bust a vein waiting on us."

"Yeah..."

They opened the door and entered, Harry with wary eyes and Ron with a broad grin. The sight that met Harry's eyes truly startled him. Mrs. Weasley was currently pouring Ginny and Olivia some tea, motioning to Olivia's hair. Remus and Sirius were talking with Nick, both looking worried for the teen. Hermione was at Em's side, both talking enthusiastically about something, if their wide gestures were anything to go by. Tonks and the twins were all laughing with Josh, who was doing some weird dance. Mr. Weasley was fiddling with a muggle Rubik's cube that Harry recognized immediately.

"Fred, George, you owe me three galleons!" Ron announced triumphantly. Everyone fell silent and looked up. The first to move was Olivia.

"Harry James, what is the matter with you?" She snapped, marching over with a glare. Harry immediately leaned back, his eyes widening.

"Er... Nothing?" He said but it came out as a question.

"This poor woman had _just_ made it very clear that everyone was worried about you being missing and what do you do? Huh, Harry? _You leave_. Why would you do that?" She scolded.

"I'm sorry..." He offered weakly. Olivia scoffed.

"Sorry, are you? Well, it isn't me you need to be telling, is it?"

"But I-"

"Go." Olivia ordered, pointing to Mrs. Weasley in a no nonsense manner. Harry pursed his lips and huffed but obediently moved towards Mrs. Weasley. He adopted a sheepish expression as soon as he saw that Mrs. Weasley was nearly in tears. Already.

"Mrs. Weasley, I _am_ sorry, really. I shouldn't have yelled and I shouldn't have left. I just-"

"Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry, too! I shouldn't have ever insulted these wonderful kids! I had no idea and just... Oh, I am so sorry!" Mrs. Weasley said and walked over to hug him fiercely, trying to smother him.

"No, no, I'm sorry that the Dursleys caused so much trouble. They knew I was at Karlbergs, they'd sent me there. They shouldn't have ever strung you all along like that. If anyone is to blame, it's them."

"Don't you worry, Harry, we've got you covered on that one." George reassured him.

"Brilliant!" Harry called, his voice still muffled in their mother's chest.

"Mum, let the poor bloke go. You're suffocating him." Ginny said with a soft laugh. Mrs. Weasley abruptly moved back, wiping her face and sniffling.

"I've got some treacle tart and tea. Would you like some, Harry?" She asked. He brightened at that.

"Oh, that'd be wonderful."

"Alright, and then after, we can figure out the sleeping arrangements."

"Well, no matter what, I call the bed with Harry." Olivia called out.

"Ah, no... I call it." Josh said immediately, suddenly more alert.

"Ahem, I was actually going for that one." Em said.

"No, I get Harry. He let's me cuddle up to him." Olivia insisted stubbornly.

"He's warm, Olivia! I could feel his body heat on the other side of you." Josh whined.

"Okay, but I'm his twin, so..."

"Not really!" Olivia and Josh snapped.

"Why don't you just let Harry decide, then?" Nick spoke up.

Harry, during the conversation, had ducked his head to hide his flaming face. He could feel the others eyes on him and was immediately embarrassed. It sounded so... _naughty_ when put that way. In truth, he knew that the misfits didn't realize how weird it was to go about sharing beds but he'd known. He did know but the thought of sleeping without one of them, after he'd experienced it, didn't sound appealing.

"Yeah, Harry, who do you want to sleep with?" Josh said confidently. Harry lifted his head and worked to ignore the various other eyes besides the misfits on him. He pursed his lips.

"How about this? Josh, you sleep with Nick. Yes, alone, just keep your hands to yourself. Olivia and Em, why don't you two share a bed, then?" Harry said reasonably. There! That solved that.

"What about you?" Olivia asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I have my own bed." Harry admitted awkwardly.

"Still, you can join us. And then, we don't have to keep our hands to ourselves." Josh said with a flirtatious wink. Harry shook his head.

"Nick would never agree." Harry pointed out.

"I don't know, Harry... You're a good looking bloke." Nick teased and Josh grinned.

"See, Harry? You're _good looking_."

"Har har. That's still a no." Harry huffed, rolling his eyes. Josh tsked.

"So many possibilities. You're interested, I can tell. Fine, fine... We'll wait until you aren't in such denial." Josh said playfully.

"Maybe thing one and two are interested. They're _good looking_ blokes as well." Nick said, tilting his head as he eyed the twins.

"Hey! Stop teasing them." Harry said quickly as Fred and George shared a speculative look.

"Fine, fine, sorry." Nick apologized.

"Well, if you are not sleeping with them and that's clearly because they are not your cup of tea, what about us? Em and I would be absolutely _wonderful_ bed partners." Olivia offered, winking suggestively.

"Em's my twin so that'd be weird." Harry replied flatly.

"We can kick her out of the bed. Matter of fact, which room is yours? I'll sneak out."

"Hey!" Em shouted, affronted.

"Olivia, as much as the idea sounds absolutely _brilliant_ , I'll have to pass." Harry muttered, rolling his eyes as she pretended to swoon at his emphasis.

"Hmph. Well, maybe the other redhead, then? She's cute." Olivia said, nodding to Ginny who blushed brightly. Harry coughed to hide a laugh.

"Okay, stop it, you idiots. You can't go about making everyone uncomfortable just to suit yourselves. Just let Sirius and Mrs. Weasley assign you a bed and if I hear about you trying to sneak in others beds, I will do something very imposing." Harry said.

"That's your threat, Harry? Really?" Olivia snickered.

"Ooh, I'm so scared..." Josh laughed.

"You should be. Now, where's that treacle tart?"


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Alrighty, darlings. Here is the seventh chapter. I want to emphasize that in this story, Harry doesn't immediately start out with Draco. You could call it a slowburn. So far, he has only been mentioned, not even shown up. But, I will spoil this for you. Next chapter, you will get a glimpse of him and what's going on with him. Now, so far this story seems mostly cheerful and light and fluffy but that isn't all. There will be angst and loss and a great big plot meant to rip your heart out. I've got so many ideas. Also, I am trying to establish the connections between everyone to make the story better. I don't want Harry to just suddenly like blokes, you know? I want to show his confusion and his exploration. Maybe I can ease some minds here by giving a few for sure pairings. Josh and Nick for sure. They are like mini Remus and Sirius, except they're mine. Sirius and Remus, of course. I just play with the idea of Tonks and Remus, mainly because I actually like Tonks. Harry and Draco, for sure, but we've just got to reach that point. There will be very light Ron and Hermione, because I love them. Also, Olivia will have multiple pairings and you will see why later. Anyways, this was really long and I am so sorry. Please, read and review!**

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Harry gave a surprised jolt when the door to his room was lightly knocked on. He sighed and glanced at the ceiling, not fooled in the slightest. For all his joking and dismissal on bed arrangements, he knew that one of the misfits would be unable to leave him alone. He rolled his eyes and crawled out of the bed, padding to the door quietly. He opened it, wincing at the aged creak it gave, and peered out.

"Olivia." He whispered quietly.

Her red hair was up on a messy bun and her blue eyes were wide and gazing up at him in a rather childish way. She was wearing shorts and a tank top with sheep on the front and her outfit was complete with pink bunny slippers. She was altogether adorable and whatever refusal Harry was prepared to use evaporated in his head.

"Harry..." She murmured back.

"Where's Em?"

"She crawled in with Nick and Josh, needing a bed by a wall. I told her I didn't mind but... Well, yeah..."

"Alright, come on then." Harry mumbled and waved her in. She walked in, brushing past him. Goosebumps rose all over his skin and he sort of wished that he'd slept in a shirt.

"Thanks, Harry." Olivia said softly, sliding off her slippers. She crawled into the bed and lifted the covers over her. Harry walked over and followed her in.

"Better?" He asked as he settled. Olivia immediately sighed and curled into his side. He lifted an arm and let it sit comfortably around her waist.

"Better." She mumbled, her breath puffing against his neck.

"Night, Olivia."

"Night, Harry."

…

"Harry..."

Harry groaned and squeezed his eyes closed tighter, trying to fight whatever force was trying to wake him up. Something tickled his nose and he wrinkled it and a small giggle soon followed it. Blearily, he cracked his eyes open and saw Olivia peering down at him. He gave a chuckle that was thick with sleep and saw a spark of interest in Olivia's eyes. Or, maybe he was imagining that. Because, surely...

Okay, _definitely_ interest.

Olivia swooped down and planted a hard kiss right on his lips, waking him up more thoroughly. He was suddenly more alert and aware than he could've hoped to have been five seconds before. His mind shut off completely and he forgot that he was supposed to be more into blokes. All he knew was that a soft caress was trailing down his chest and soft lips were determinedly working his.

It was one of those kisses that took someone by surprise and took their breath away. It didn't register with Harry that Olivia was a girl and they had already established that he didn't fancy her. He just reached up and tangled his fingers in her hair and kissed her back, applying near rough pressure. Apparently, Olivia liked his participation and shifted to get a _much_ better angle. Harry just went with it.

Somehow, the kiss stretched on until Harry had rolled over and had her pressed back up against the mattress. Her knees were bumping his hips and her fingernails were digging into his back. Her lips were surprisingly fierce and worked eagerly and harshly, biting and melding deliciously. Harry didn't even stop to think how this might be a terrible idea. He was dizzy and his hands were clenching her hips as his rocked.

Wait... WHAT!?

Harry tore himself away, panting harshly. He rolled until he was on his back, their shoulders brushing. He stared up at the ceiling, mystified, and tried to catch his breath and reassemble his scrambled thoughts. His body screamed at him in protest, demanding he finish what he was doing, but he ignored it.

What the hell was he thinking? He couldn't snog Olivia, let alone try and hump her in the mattress. It was just... _wrong_. They had figured out that he didn't _like_ her like _that_ , hadn't they? The last time they'd kissed, he'd been sure that it'd never happen again. In fact, he'd doubted he'd ever _want_ to do it again. However, now that line had been thoroughly blurred.

"Well, good morning to you, too." Olivia said breathlessly. And, despite his utter confusion, Harry burst out in laughter.

"Talk about a good way to wake up." He muttered before he could stop himself. He glanced over cautiously and found her grinning at him.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have attacked you like that. But, _damn_ , Potter, you look _good_ in the morning and that _laugh_... Bloody hell, give me warning, yeah? I'm surprised, honestly. I didn't expect you to...reciprocate, truthfully." Olivia said, shaking her head.

"I, er, hadn't meant to. I just... Well, I mean..."

"Harry, relax, it's okay. I don't mean to confuse you anymore than you already are. Still, that was nice. We should do that more often. Now, let's go hunt down some breakfast. Up, up, up." Olivia said easily, nudging him from his reverie.

Harry rolled his eyes and decided not to worry about it that much. Olivia wasn't going to fixate on it and neither was he. Though, she was right. They should do that more often. It had been nice, though Harry shouldn't have gotten so carried away. He didn't have her consent to pin her down and take such control. It bothered him to do that even if she hadn't seemed to be protesting much at the time.

Harry picked up a shirt and tossed it on, batting Olivia's hands away as she tugged at it playfully. She slipped on her slippers and they made their way to the door. Harry opened it, vaguely wondering how early it was. He wouldn't be surprised if it was really early, seeing as the misfits were used to Karlbergs schedule. They stepped out and they both immediately froze.

A group stood at the head of the stairs in direct sight of them. Apparently, they'd all been talking about how best to wake Harry up, not knowing that Olivia was with him. Sirius, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George all wore identical comical looks of shock. Josh, Nick, and Em all looked amused. Harry knew how they looked. Both of their lips were swollen, hair was messes, and clothes was rumpled. He didn't doubt that they had a suspicious look about them. The immediate blush heating up his cheeks didn't help much either.

"Good morning." Josh said slyly.

"Morning. Sleep well?" Olivia said smoothly.

"Yes. You?" Josh asked casually. Olivia made a show of biting her lip and looking at Harry with heavy eyes filled with what was clearly lust.

"I didn't get much sleep but I sure was _tired_." She sighed, smoothing out nonexistent sore muscles.

"Bummer. What about you, Harry?" Josh asked with a small smile. And, Harry considered telling the truth but really, having the others on was much more fun.

"Sore, sweaty, and in need of a shower. However, what little bit of rest I did get... Well, it was _restful_." Harry said with a small grin. Sirius choked and Harry drifted to the shower, closing it on peals of laughter.

After a long shower, a cold one thanks to Olivia's wake up kiss, he made his way down to the kitchen for breakfast. He heard bustling around and laughter that sounded a lot like Ron's. He was just about to enter when the door burst open and smacked him right in the nose. He stumbled and fell, clutching his face and groaning. Gentle fingers uncovered his face and he was looking right up into Josh's concerned blue eyes.

"Bloody hell, are you alright?" Josh muttered.

"Shit, Josh, what was your hurry?" Harry snapped, gingerly touching his nose and was happy to find that his nose wasn't bleeding.

"I'm sorry. I just- I had to get out of there _right then_." Josh hissed, narrowing his eyes. Harry frowned and stood up.

"What's wrong?"

"Nick." Josh replied.

"Nick? What's wrong with Nick? Is he okay?"

"Yes, he's fine." Josh said shortly.

"Oh... So, what's the issue then?" Harry asked in confusion. Josh huffed and scowled at his shoes.

"Nothing." Josh muttered and brushed past Harry, hopping up the stairs two at a time. Harry rubbed his nose and continued in the kitchen.

"Alright there, Harry? Your face is all blotchy." Ron observed as soon as he walked in. Harry shot him a dirty look.

"I'm fine. Nick!"

"What?" Nick asked, jolting from where he'd been talking to Remus quietly.

"What'd you do to Josh?" Harry asked him bluntly.

"Josh? What do you mean?" Nick asked, looking around the room as if searching for Josh.

"He just left." Harry informed him with raised eyebrows. Nick's eyebrows furrowed and he frowned.

"Did he? Oh. Well, I don't know." Nick said with a shrug. Harry blinked as Nick turned back to Remus, dismissing the conversation.

"You...don't...know? Well, aren't you going to go check on him?" Harry asked slowly.

"Why?" Nick asked bluntly, looking genuinely confused. Harry's face cleared and he bit the inside of his cheek to hold in a retort.

"Hey, do you mind if I borrow Josh to sleep with tonight?" Harry asked abruptly, his eyes narrowed on Nick. The pale boy just shrugged.

"Sure, sure."

Harry nodded curtly and slowly made his way over to Sirius to say good morning and reassure him that his godson hadn't had sex last night. However, his mind was miles away. Remus and Nick had went back to their in depth conversation and Nick didn't appear to care about anything else. No wonder Josh was so put out at the moment. Harry brushed that aside as he slid into the seat beside Sirius.

"Morning, pup." Sirius said with an arched brow.

"It's not what you think, Sirius, really. We didn't do anything last night." Harry reassured him, failing to specify that this morning was a different story.

"We figured that out on our own, Harry." George told him, leaning forward with a smirk.

"You really had us going there, truly. But, the ginger didn't have and _love bites_ so that was a no go." Fred said as if it was obvious.

"You lot are so gullible." Harry said with a snort, shrugging.

"Harry!" Em said excitedly as she bounded over with a wide grin..

"Hey, Em. You look particularly excited today." Harry noted, leaning back in his chair.

"Tonks promised to show me Diagon Alley and get me a wand!" Em burst out, nearly trembling with excitement. Harry's lips twitched.

"That's brilliant!" Harry said with a small laugh.

"Mhm and Nick is coming too! We invited Josh but he refused. Do you have any idea what his problem is?" Em said, her excitement dying to concern. Harry sighed and leaned forward to rest on his elbows.

"I think it's that Nick is pretty much ignoring him. Not on purpose, obviously, but you know how Josh is."

"I don't know, Harry. I think it's something more. Last night when I laid down with them, they were very far apart and there was notable tension." Em admitted.

"Really? I- Well, I don't know." Harry said with an awkward shrug.

"You don't think-"

"What!? Oh no-"

"But, well..."

"It _would_ make sense and-"

"I don't put it past Nick."

"Exactly. And, if you think about it-"

"Josh would be just as he is now!"

"Exactly! But-"

"What do we do!?"

"I don't know..."

Harry bit his lip and looked at Em in worry. He never noticed Fred, George, and Sirius looking between them like they were watching a tennis match. He never even considered that the conversation didn't carry one complete thought and yet, they had knew exactly what the other was thinking. He never entertained the idea that he and Em were a lot like Fred and George, the actual twins, in that moment.

"Uh, are we missing something here?" Sirius asked slowly. Harry and Em shared a look.

"You'll handle Josh and I'll handle Nick?" Em asked. Harry sighed and nodded.

"Good morning, Harry." Ginny and Hermione greeted as they walked over. Harry smiled and stood up.

"Morning, Hermione, Gin. I'll be right back." Harry said.

"What!? Mate, you just got in here." Ron shouted as he shuffled over just as Harry started leaving.

"I'll be right back!" He replied with a small laugh. He watched as Em made her way over to Nick and left. He jogged up the stairs and made to the room Josh and Nick had been forced to sleep in.

He stepped right outside the door and was about to knock when he heard something. He froze and listened harder. There was soft weeping, cries soft as the breeze and heavy as suffocation. He heard faint noises, no, it was one voice. A woman's voice that sounded sharp and cold. Harry didn't hesitate, he burst in and peered around.

He was frozen at the sight before him. A woman, hair as dark as Josh's and the vague features Josh had, stood before him. She was glaring down at him with a look of such hatred that Harry couldn't imagine anything but that look on her face. She stood tall, looming over him and was sneering. Harry had no doubt about who she was but he couldn't fathom how she had gotten in here.

"And, you think they _want_ you around? Ha, fool! Josh, no one wants you, not me and surely not those freakish friends of yours. You're not a _true_ misfit, you're just a rich kid with a tendency to lash out for attention. They'll realize that soon enough!"

Harry didn't understand how she was there or how she knew _just_ how to hurt Josh but she was causing some serious issues. Harry stepped up, fully prepared to tell her to leave, when something happened. Josh's mother turned to him and was suddenly swiftly changing. Harry's stomach dropped and immediate fear dropped into his chest. Josh finally glanced up from his sobs and stared inhorror as his mother morphed into various different things as the boggart tried to pinpoint what would frighten Harry the most.

"Josh! Go get Sirius and Remus!" Harry shouted quickly, eyes stuck on the morphing creature.

Harry fully expected the dementor, just as always, but was shocked when only a few glimpses of that dreadful robe appeared. No, the boggart chose something else, something much more potent. Cedric Diggory sprawled on the floor, dead eyes vacant as they fixed on Harry. And, Harry froze, true fear gripping him and locking him in place. Still, seeing that had nothing on when Cedric spoke.

"Harry... Harry, how could you do this to me? It's all your fault. I had a family, a life, and you took it from me. Why, Harry? Why does everyone have to die around you? _Why_...?" Cedric's voice croaked out.

Harry stepped back, his heart racing as his eyes stayed wide on the dead boy in front of him. His breath came out in short gasps and he tried hard to fight the panic gripping him. But, the boggart knew just what would render him frozen in fear. He vaguely noticed that Josh was running out of the room when Cedric popped and suddenly, Sirius was standing before him, his grey eyes suspiciously empty.

"Look what you do to us all, Harry. It's your fault. You took away my friends, your parents, and nearly got me killed. You'll manage to soon, after all, everyone dies around you. You kill everything you love. Why, Harry?"

And, despite the fact that Harry _knew_ Sirius would never say that to him, Harry felt a part of himself break. It was true, after all, wasn't it? Everyone was always in danger because of him. Soon, his parents stood in front of him, condemning him. He could feel tears in his eyes falling over his cheeks and he couldn't do a damn thing but watch as the ones he loved spoke the truth. He could hear people rushing up the steps but didn't tear his eyes away. His mum and dad were still blaming him and he was believing them. He heard a few gasps behind him but paid no heed to it.

And then, people started popping by, faster and faster. All he saw was their pale skin and dead eyes that screamed death. Each and everyone was someone he loved and they were all croaking out a chorus of "Why?" that ripped him apart. Mrs. Weasley, the twins, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Remus, Dumbledore, Tonks... They all blamed him. And, suddenly, Em stood right in front of him, glaring at him.

"What did you do, Harry? How could you condemn us to this life? We were _fine_ , we were _safe_ , we were _happy_ , without you. Look what you've done. We're dead now and it's all your-"

" _Riddikulus_!" A voice shouted. Em was suddenly gone and replaced by a full moon that was just as quickly turned into a balloon.

A gentle hand gripped his shoulder but he didn't even notice. He stared blankly at that spot, unable to tear himself away. His mind worked sluggishly and he felt like he had been dumped in a pit of tar that he had to swim to the surface of. He was pulled away forcefully and he could feel warm breath on his ear and cheek but all noise had turned into a background buzz. He just sluggishly followed where the strong arm on his shoulder guided him to.

He didn't really start to come around until a bit later. He found himself in the kitchen and vaguely wondered how he even got there. He was surrounded by everyone peering at him in worry. He had a warm mug of tea in his hands and there was some wrapped chocolate on his knee. He realized in shock that he was mechanically chewing some chocolate.

"Harry..." Sirius whispered from where he was kneeling right in front of Harry. He looked really worried and Harry figured he knew why. He was still crying, just blunt tears pouring from his eyes.

"Sirius," He croaked. "I'm so sorry. _I'm so sorry_."

"No, no, pup. It's okay, shh... We don't blame you. Hush, come here." Sirius said in a strained voice, his face pained. Sirius sat the tea and chocolate aside and pulled Harry into a hard hug.

"Everyone always dies around me and I'm sorry. I'm not safe and no one should be around me. They're all dead, _dead_ , and it's my fault. _It's my fault_. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so-"

Harry knew he was babbling but he couldn't stop the words from flowing from his lips. Fortunately, Sirius seemed to understand that and nudged his head until his mouth was pressed into Sirius' shoulder and his forehead rested into the crook of Sirius' neck. It shut him up nicely and he melted into the position, squeezing his eyes closed tight.

He wasn't sure how long he stayed like that but it helped him calm down from his hysteria. When he was finally recovered and thinking properly, he slowly peeled himself away. He peered around in more clarity than before and noted more details. Everyone looked at him in worry and Em was even crying. He couldn't even feel embarrassed as he scrubbed his face. He also noted that Josh was holding Nick close to himself, his grip obviously tight but Nick didn't appear to be complaining. Harry cleared his throat and stood up.

"Are you alright, Josh?" Harry asked hoarsely.

"Yeah. I feel better now that I know it's not my _real_ mum." Josh admitted. "And you?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be alright, I'm sure." Harry said as casually as he could, waving as if swatting a fly.

"Harry, are you sure-"

"Yes, Sirius, I'm fine. Though, that was really draining. I'm... I'm quite tired and didn't get much sleep last night. I'm going to go take a nap." Harry cut his godfather off and gave a weak smile.

"Harry-"

He didn't stick around and wait for Sirius to finish. He hurried up the steps and rushed to his room. He slammed the door and practically flew to the bed, refusing to move until he took a nap for real. He didn't doubt that it would be filled with nightmares but bloody hell, he was tired, exhausted even, from that damn boggart. He hadn't been lying, it _was_ draining. So, he rolled over and fell asleep.

…

When he woke up, it was a slow process. He didn't wake up so much as he had sudden awareness. He realized that he was squished between the wall and someone very warm. Someone very warm and firm, not at all like Olivia. Harry blearily creaked open his eyes and got an eyeful of a chest and collarbones. Harry blinked in surprise, vaguely noting that the chest was broad and fit. He leaned his head back and relaxed when he saw Josh peering down at him.

"Finally decided to wake up, then?" Josh asked quietly. Harry hummed, his voice gravelly.

"Yeah. Just a question but why are you in my bed?" Harry asked thickly. Josh snickered.

"I wanted to take a nap, too."

"So, you just decided to hop in the bed with me?"

"Yes. I- Well, I don't really want to be alone here." Josh admitted. Harry was immediately concerned.

"Hey, are you okay?" Harry murmured, shifting closer.

"Yeah, it helps to know that it wasn't my real mum. Quite frankly, I'm shocked to find out that she's my biggest fear." Josh said, going for casual.

"Yeah, well, I don't think it was her specifically but more what she was saying." Harry said.

"That's true." Josh allowed.

They fell silent for a little bit and it was altogether rather comfortable. Harry couldn't help but note that Josh was incredibly warm and firm, something that was apparently appealing to him deep down. It felt nice to be wrapped up and...well, snuggled the way Josh was cuddling up to him. Harry reached up and started running his fingers through Josh's hair, pulling a near purr from the other boy.

"You don't really believe what she said, do you?" Harry asked suddenly. Josh tensed.

"I mean... Well, sometimes, yeah." Josh stammered. Harry leaned his head back and frowned up at him.

"That's not really fair, is it? I mean, I'm not really a misfit. I'm just Harry, who happens to be a wizard with an affinity to trouble."

"I don't know. Sometimes, I feel like I'm just a joke. I'm the clown, the punch line. I'm the rebel no one wants. Maybe I am a misfit but not in the right way."

"Oh, Josh, you don't really believe that, do you? You're the first misfit that ever made me feel like I belonged. You're a great bloke and a true misfit if I've ever seen one. So, your family is a bunch of snobs. _You aren't_. And, that's the point."

"But, it's not the same. My family-"

"Isn't all peaches and pie. Josh, you're parents miss your birthday every single year _on purpose_. Don't downplay your problems in the face of other's problems. We all have issues, _all of us_ , and we shouldn't compare them." Harry interrupted him. Josh sighed heavily and scooted down until he was curled into Harry's side with his head resting on Harry's stomach, allowing Harry a better angle to his hair.

"You're a good bloke, Harry." Jo's commented.

"I'm aware." Harry said seriously and Josh glanced up in time to catch his cheeky grin.

"I take it back."

"No, you don't."

"You're right." Josh sighed. "Harry, can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Harry said.

"You and Olivia didn't _really_...did you?" Josh murmured. Harry gave a jolt of surprise and felt his tongue get tied.

"No, no! We didn't, we just... She slept, I slept, that's all. Besides, she says she refuses to... How did she put it? Oh, yes...she refuses to _deflower_ me." Harry reassured him quickly. Josh hummed thoughtfully.

"Do you want her to _deflower_ you?" Josh asked.

"Er...no? I mean, shit, Josh, I don't know. I don't have an overwhelming desire to shag her, no." Harry huffed.

"So, what _did_ you do, then? Because, you two were looking rather disheveled this morning."

"Apparently, I'm sexy when I wake up. She got an urge to snog me and you know how Olivia handles her urges." Harry muttered.

"Goes right for it." Josh put in wisely.

"Exactly. So, that happened. We snogged, that's all."

"Morning kisses. They're nice, aren't they?" Josh asked lightly, sighing wistfully. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Okay, there is clearly something else you want to ask me. Go on, then."

"Just... How do you know if you're in love with someone?" Josh blurted out. Harry blinked.

"I, uh, I don't know. I've never- I mean, I _love_ people but I've never been _in love_. Why?"

"On a completely unrelated topic, Nick's a pretty great bloke, isn't he?" Josh said softly. Harry snorted.

"He's brilliant. Finally found out you fancy him, then?" Harry said, tugging on Josh's hair teasingly.

"No, Harry, _I'm in love with him_." Josh hissed, lifting his head to meet Harry's eyes.

"Oh? Well, congratulations." Harry said awkwardly.

"No, not _congratulations_ , Harry! This is bad. Terrible, really." Josh snapped.

"Why?" Harry asked in confusion. Josh groaned in exasperation.

"Okay, one, because _I_ don't fall in love. Two, because Nick refuses to entertain the idea that I want _more_ than just a few shags. And three, because...because I don't think it'd end well." Josh insisted before deflating with a weary sigh.

"Is that why you're acting so odd around him?" Harry asked. Josh scoffed.

"Not only that but yes! Plus, the prat is _so_ wrapped up in this world and he's been ignoring me. It's conflicting, really. I want to be around him all the time but at the same time, I'm scared as hell to be near him. And then, he goes and takes the option away from me. I mean, just who does he think he is?" Josh said with a pout gracing his features. Harry bit back a laugh.

"So, whatever will you do?" Harry asked.

"I'll move on and forget him, of course. Maybe I'll go out and find a replacement for a bit. Or, maybe I can have one right now to just get my mind off of him." Josh said with a wink.

"Are you coming onto me after you just admitted to loving one of our friends?" Harry deadpanned. Josh had the audacity to look smug.

"Yep." He said, popping the 'p' obnoxiously.

"You," Harry began, flicking him on the forehead, "are a true git. That's terrible. One, I'll never allow you to do that, with me or anyone else. And two, you can't just _move on_. You have to face it."

"Ah, no dice. That sounds like a terrible idea."

"I think it's smart, actually. Say he returns the feelings. Wouldn't that be a better outcome?"

"But, he doesn't." Josh said simply. Harry burst out laughing until he saw that Josh was serious and his laughter eventually filtered out.

"Bloody hell, you're not joking. You _really_ think he doesn't feel that way towards you." Harry said in awe.

"He doesn't." Josh repeated stubbornly.

"Josh, mate, Nick is besotted with you. It's sickening, really. He's just as smitten as you but he's scared of being hurt. You know how he is."

"...Really?" Josh asked in disbelief. Harry reached up and face palmed.

"You are an idiot." Harry announced.

"Harry, I'm serious. You really think he does?" Josh said earnestly, sounding more hopeful than Harry had ever heard him. Harry's heart clenched.

"Of course I do. He'd be an idiot not to give you a chance." Harry mumbled. Josh brightened.

"You'll be my rebound if he doesn't reciprocate?" Josh asked abruptly. Harry chuckled.

"Sure."

"You'll let me deflower you?" Josh asked eagerly.

"We'll see." Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Brilliant! I've got to go tell him now!" Josh said, popping up into a sitting position. Harry sat up as well and blinked at the sight that met him. A big, black, shaggy dog sat on the end of the bed, watching them.

"Oh yeah, Harry, why didn't you ever tell me you had a dog? I miss Jefferson so I let this big boy in." Josh said, reaching out to pat Sirius on the head.

And, Harry lost it. He burst out in uproarious laughter. The fact that Josh had just applied the phrase 'big boy' to Sirius was amusing in itself. However, it did help that Josh was on outs with Sirius when he said it. The fact was that Sirius was peeved when Josh flirted with Remus, despite the major age gap and unlikeliness of that situation. And, Josh enjoyed messing with Sirius for some reason. Seeing them like this, well, it was hilarious.

"We- Ha! We don't have a dog!" Harry choked out between laughter.

"What!?" Josh asked in shock, yanking his hand back.

"That's- It's Sirius! He's an animagus. It means he can shift into an animal." Harry snickered.

"What!? No way!" Josh burst out, staring at dog Sirius in shock. Sirius stood up on all four paws and hopped onto the floor. Mid jump, he popped back to himself.

"Yes way." Sirius said smugly. Josh's jaw dropped.

"Woah... That's...awesome! How do you do that? Can you be anything or do you have to be a dog? What's it like being a dog? Are you colorblind? Do we have scents?" Josh prattled on, scrambling and gazing at Sirius in obvious adoration, apparently forgetting that he and Sirius weren't getting on.

"I- Well..." Sirius trailed off, brow furrowing and a frown crossing his features. His eyes cut over to Harry, clearly wanting to speak to him.

"Hey, Josh, don't you have a nerd to go confess your love to?" Harry asked lightly. Josh blinked and tore his gaze away from Sirius.

"Oh, right. You're coming, yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll be down soon, I promise." Harry reassured him, waving Josh on. And, Josh's face lit up with understanding as he looked between Sirius and Harry.

"Oh! You two want to talk!" Josh said bluntly, laughing slightly. "I'll leave you to it, then."

With that, Josh hopped out of the bed, gently kissing Harry's forehead before standing fully. He smiled at Sirius as he left, apparently over whatever egotistical spat they were having in favor of knowledge of what it was like to be a dog. The door shut with a click and Harry stood, running a hand through his hair. Sirius had his lips pursed and looked deep in thought.

"He's a lot like me when I was younger." Sirius commented. Harry laughed.

"He's brilliant, really."

"You two seem awfully comfortable with each other."

"It's not what you're implying. He's just a mate." Harry said, smiling easily.

"Right." Sirius murmured, his eyes lifting and landing on Harry heavily. Harry shifted, knowing he wasn't going to like what Sirius said next. "Harry, you know that boggart was lying."

"Sirius..." Harry sighed, hating that he was right.

"No, pup, I seen you. It seemed like you believed it and you shouldn't." Sirius insisted.

"Okay, Sirius." Harry said simply, averting his eyes. Sirius sighed heavily and threw an arm around Harry's shoulders, seeming weary.

"Come on, Harry, we've got an idiot to watch confess his love."

.

.

.

Harry couldn't recall ever thinking that it was possible for his life to get any more complicated than it had been. He was wrong, apparently. Throw in a group of muggles into the mix that was his life and everything just sort of spiraled out of control. To put it simply, too much was going on for him to keep track of. The sad thing was that it was literally only the second day.

Harry stood back against the wall as Josh paced, his arms crossed and frustration making his eyebrows furrow. Grimmauld place was deserted at this point, something that had surprised Harry, Sirius, and Josh greatly. Josh had burst in and tried to declare his love at the top of his lungs, only to have Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as his only audience. Everyone had cleared out, leaving them with the message.

Mad-eye, apparently, got an urgent owl from Dumbledore and had to leave quickly. The rest, though, as in Remus, Tonks, and the kids, _all of them_ , had decided to take that trip to Diagon Alley. Harry thought that maybe Tonks and Remus were regretting that right about now.

Harry, Sirius, and Josh had been put to work to keep trying to clean the horrid place. Josh had petulantly declared that he wasn't confessing his love a second time and Harry couldn't convince him otherwise. And, Harry was left wondering just how he got to the point he was at. It seemed like just yesterday that he was just a normal scrawny kid with normal thoughts. Or, as normal as one could be with Voldemort in his head.

Harry had been with the misfits all of a month but apparently that was all it took. They'd marched in his life and hadn't left and now he wasn't willing to let them go. He was there for the long haul, through everything, even the petty teenager situations that seemed insignificant when paired with an evil dark lord. He found he didn't really mind, though.

All he'd ever wanted since he learned that Voldemort was on him like a hound after a scent was to be normal. Just a normal kid with a normal life and family. Of course, he didn't have that choice and he had to do what he could with what was left. And, the misfits had gone and given him even more.

Suddenly, he was confused about his sexuality. It really shouldn't have been relief that he felt at that. But, to be honest, he'd never even expected to be able to have _any_ relationships, let alone be able to question his preferences. He was taught new things and was able to express himself in ways that he had previously shied away from. It felt good and it felt right. He was just glad that his new life could mesh with his old. He had worried that it wouldn't have been able to.

For the first time, he was actually truly content. It was odd that he'd find such peace among chaos. So, maybe he was a true misfit after all. He did so much backwards, clearly he was. Harry cracked a smile at that thought and glanced over to Josh who was swinging a dripping sponge and grumbling under his breath. A certain fondness filled Harry up and he stood up, smiling widely.

"Josh." He spoke up.

"Hmm?" Josh mumbled, still pacing.

"Think fast." Harry ordered and picked up a sopping sponge from the pail at his feet. Josh looked up in confusion but Harry only got a tiny glimpse of the expression before the wet sponge he chunked collided with his face.

The sponge stuck there for a moment before squelching and sliding off of Josh's face. Josh wore a very blank expression, his eyes closed and his lips pursed. Harry grinned, waiting for some verdict, and Josh sputtered as suds flew from his lips. Harry started snickering, too amused to even pay Josh any mind. However, his laughter cut off when a thick wet sponge smacked into the side of his head.

"Ha! That's what you get, prat!" Josh crowed, laughing loudly.

It was war.

Water flew everywhere and sponges were sent soaring through the air with the clear intent to connect sharply on its target. Laughter floated through the air and both boys ducked and dodged behind furniture. Harry gave war cries and Josh's uproarious laughter bounced around the room. They made a very big mess as they battled but in their minds, it was completely worth it. They were in the moment.

So in that moment, they were, that they didn't notice as the fireplace flared to life and multiple people started stepping and stumbling out. Harry growled and squeezed his sponge right over Josh's perfect hair. Josh shrieked, rather like a girl, and grasped Harry's pail on the ground. Before either of them knew it, Josh had overturned the pail on Harry's head.

They both froze. Harry let the sponge fall from his fingertips and it landed on the floor with a dull squelching thud. Very slowly, Harry spit out soapy water and blinked open his eyes. A contact was misty but he didn't pay it any mind. Josh looked up at him, his mouth a perfect circle.

"Harry, I am-"

"I'm going to drown you, Reddick." Harry promised and lunged.

They went down in a tumble of sopping, clingy clothes and slippery limbs. Harry tried for the upper hand, he really did, but Josh was taller and broader and therefore, he had a slight advantage. Josh straddled his waist and pinned his wrists down.

"Ha! Admit it, Potter, I win!" Josh said smugly.

"No, you didn't, you big lug. Get off of me." Harry snapped, scowling petulantly up at him. Josh cocked an eyebrow and shook his head like a dog might, spraying Harry with water.

"Admit defeat!"

"Never!"

"Stubborn."

"Prat."

"Aw, don't be like that. It's fine, really. All that matters is that I won, yeah?" Josh teased.

"You didn't. Now, get up." Harry huffed. Josh hummed lightly and tilted his head.

"I don't know, Harry. I've got you right where I want you." Josh said playfully.

"So you think. Last time I checked, I'm not Nick."

"Ouch, that really hurts. Hey, you did promise to soothe my wounds if the sentiment wasn't returned."

"You're a horny git, you know that?" Harry muttered, wriggling as he tried to throw Josh off. Josh gave a short laugh and dipped down, pressing a small kiss to Harry's jaw. Harry instinctively tilted his head back to allow Josh a better angle.

"Not really. If I was, I'd be all over you. As it stands, I happen to be in love, so... However, if we'd have met a year ago... Well, you wouldn't have ever been able to resist me." Josh said with a serious nod.

"Right, okay. Get up now." Harry snorted. Josh winked and hopped off, his shoes slopping. Josh winced and pulled Harry to his feet.

"Bloody hell, you're soaked." Josh noted.

"No, really?" Harry deadpanned.

"Hey, don't catch that tone with me. What are we going to do? We'll be in trouble for sure."

"Yes, good point. Ah... You know what we need?"

"What?"

"Actually, it's more of a who. Don't tell them I _ever_ said this...but the twins would be great help right now."

"Wait... Sexy thing one and sexy thing two?" Josh asked, his eyebrows shooting up.

"I mean, if you're into that sort of thing." Harry said, shrugging. Josh hummed.

"Well, actually..."

"Really, Josh, with the one track mind thing? Please, stop." Harry grumbled and turned around. "Oh! Speak of the devils."

"What?" Josh asked, whirling around, too.

Crowded in front of the fireplace was everyone that had taken the trip to Diagon Alley, minus Tonks. Hermione and Ginny were carrying a few bags and staring at them as in amusement. Ron had a perplexed look on his face as if he couldn't process something. The twins were grinning, eyes glinting in mischief. Remus and Nick both looked uncomfortable, averting their eyes. Olivia and Em were just watching in what appeared to be envy.

"That looked fun." Olivia commented.

"You have no idea." Harry said with a grin.

"And, you need our help?" Fred asked.

"How may we be of service?" George chirped and both blokes bowed at the waist.

"Well, you are of age now. A simple drying spell would solve this." Harry hedged, biting his lip.

"Give them the doe eyes." Josh whispered in his ear. Harry glanced at him incredulously.

"What?"

" _The doe eyes_. You know. When you're being earnest or sincere or hopeful, your eyes get all wide and glistening. Just do it." Josh hissed.

"Er..."

Harry tried the doe eyes, unsure if he was succeeding or not. To be honest, he wasn't even aware he had the ability. Fred and George stared between them intently before sharing calculating looks. It might have been one of the most stressful silences he had ever been witness to. Finally the twins removed their wands and dried the place up. The mess vanished as if it hadn't ever been there.

"Brilliant." Josh breathed, his face splitting with a boyish grin, complete with a dimple.

"So, Josh... Who are you in love with?" Em spoke up, her tone knowing. Josh's smile evaporated.

"What?"

"We heard you talking to Harry. You said you were in love. Who's the poor bastard?" Olivia said. As if unable to help himself, Josh chanced a look at Nick before quickly looking away.

"I- Uh, no one. I just... I was joking." Josh stuttered.

"Really? I was under the impression that-"

"So! How was the magical world!?" Josh cut Olivia off loudly. Like a spell, the silence was broken as everyone started up talking. Harry stepped back and watched as Ron and Hermione edged to stand at his sides.

"You okay, mate?" Ron asked.

"Yeah." Harry answered as he watched everyone interact. And, it was the truth.

"Us too." Hermione whispered.

"Strange, isn't it?" Harry asked. Ron and Hermione shared a look before answering in unison.

"Yeah, it is."


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: I am so sorry for the wait on this, darlings... Life just gets crazy sometimes, as I am sure you all are aware. So, the story is progressing onwards now into something with more plot. Forgive me for this update, really. I've just hit a dry spell and this took me forever to write. I'm sure that I can get back onto the bandwagon, I just... I don't know. Still, this story has a special place in my heart and I am bound and determined to finish it. If you've got any ideas or questions, just let me know. Shout out to some of the reviews I've been getting. _Ern Esine 13624_ has stuck around and given me feedback from the beginning and for that, I am grateful. Also, _Mayo i mi Ciel_ has pointed out some really good points in the review. I enjoyed how the review gave me constructive criticism. I'm ALWAYS open to that. So, everyone please read and review!**

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"And, James just took off down the hallway. We only got a glimpse of red hair as Lily sprinted after him. She was so mad and had her wand out and James was pure terrified. When we found him an hour later, we couldn't stop laughing."

Harry burst out laughing and everyone else at the table did too. Sirius chuckled and beamed around at everyone, apparently glad that his memory was humorous. It was. Harry could just imagine his dad hitting on his mum one too many times and she chasing him down and hexing him five ways to Sunday. The laughter died as the fireplace flared and Mad-eye clomped out, scowling.

The smiles slipped off of the adults faces as they saw his appearance. He was in a right state. His robes were torn and bloody and his hair was knotted atop his head. He was disheveled greatly as he stared around at everyone, his eye wide and wild. The adults at the table all stood and he nodded vigorously, as if he was furious and self righteous.

"Just what's going on?" He barked. "Laughing and carrying on when there is a war out here!"

"Mad-eye, what's happened?" Mrs. Weasley breathed out, her eyes wide and frightened.

"A bloody war is what's happened!" Mad-eye growled, his fake eyes swiveling around as if agitated.

"Where?" Remus asked, his lips in a thin line.

Harry felt his mouth go dry and his heart spike up. Was this it? Was it really a war now? Mad-eye looked down right pissed and he glared around at everyone. Harry looked around and noted the grimness of everyone's faces. It was surreal how everything could go from laughter and relaxation to this tense downtrodden state so fast.

"The Ministry is where but it's over now. We could've really used the help." Mad-eye spat.

"We didn't know!" Sirius burst out. "Besides, I couldn't have gone if I wanted."

"If there ever was a time to disregard the price over your head and fight, this would've been it." Mad-eye snapped, his face twisting.

"Oh merlin! Is everyone..." Mrs. Weasley trailed off and paled, her eyes cutting over to the empty seat to her right where Mr. Weasley would've sat.

"He's fine, Molly, a bit beaten up but fine. He was one of the lucky ones."

"Who?" Remus asked softly.

"Tonks is in real bad right now. She's at Mungo's right now and they are fixing her up but it was really close. Marks is dead and so is Carina Frederick." Mad-eye said gruffly. Remus hung his head and breathed in.

"This is it. This... It means that it's happening." Harry mumbled stupidly, his traitorous mind replaying the prophecy over and over.

"Yeah, boy, it is." Mad-eye confirmed.

"Where's Dumbledore!?" Harry shouted, shooting to his feet and staring around. Em grabbed his arm and squeezed lightly, trying to calm him. He snatched away and stared around. All the adults averted their eyes and Harry felt unease rush through him.

"That isn't important right-"

"Bullocks! Where is he? _Sirius_?" Harry pressed, cutting the tense Remus off. Sirius pressed his lips together tightly and breathed sharply through his nose.

"We-"

"Sirius!" Mrs. Weasley shrieked.

"We don't know." Sirius admitted with a sigh, completely ignoring Mrs. Weasley. Harry froze.

"What!?" He blurted out. He'd known this but it hadn't been actually solidified like this. Somehow, he'd thought that they knew _something_ , at least. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I mean... _We don't know_." Sirius repeated.

"How-"

"It means, boy, that Dumbledore went on a mission and we haven't seen him since." Mad-eye snarled, cutting him off.

"That's not... No, that's not possible. I mean, it's Dumbledore and..." Harry trailed off as his thoughts took off from him. He opened his mouth and spoke up before he could stop himself. "Draco. It has to do with Draco Malfoy, doesn't it?"

"How do you know that, Harry?" Sirius asked, his brow furrowed.

"I have my ways." Harry said tersely and stepped back from the table. He didn't dare look over at Ron who no doubt looked smug. He started pacing and he ignored the multiple pairs of eyes he felt on him.

"So... What now?" Ginny spoke up.

"And, what about us?" Olivia asked.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Hermione said sternly, standing up like a girl on a mission. "We fight."

"All of us?" Nick asked nervously. "Even the inadequate muggles?"

"I... I don't know." Hermione murmured.

"Well, none of you will be fighting. You will be going back to Hogwarts and we will handle this." Mrs. Weasley said as if it was already decided.

"No."

"What?" Mrs. Weasley said, looking to the voice that had spoken so strongly. In truth, they'd somehow forgotten that Harry was pacing in a corner.

" _No_. I'm not going back to Hogwarts. The fight isn't there. And, I can't keep running from this."

"We're with Harry all the way." Hermione said firmly. Ron nodded and stood up, too, looking around determinedly.

"Me too." Em spoke up and Josh simply nodded curtly in agreement. Olivia soon followed with her own gesture and after a moment of hesitation, Nick did too.

"That's ridiculous! You're children! You have to-"

"What!? Stand by and watch all the adults in our lives die until it's our turn. We are capable too! We _can_ fight, we _have_! Children or not, we are fighting in this war one way or another. Either willingly or when we are the only ones left. Take your pick." Harry burst out.

"Harry, this isn't a game or-"

"You think we don't know that, Sirius!? Look at Ron's arms! Look! Those scars? He didn't get them from falling off his broomstick. He was fighting death eaters. Ginny doesn't sprain her ankle on a regular basis from tripping down the steps at Hogwarts. She was at the Ministry too! Cedric didn't have a tragic accident, _he was murdered_." Harry ranted.

"He's right and you all know it." Ron said, nodding. And, Harry was infinitely grateful that Ron had his back on this. It was things like this that Harry suspected that Ron went through a change since he'd thought that Harry had been kidnapped.

Everyone fell silent and Harry locked eyes with Sirius. It was a sincere moment, one in which understanding passed between them. Harry wrang his hands out, nervousness rushing through him. Because, this was really it. Voldemort was about to kick start this war and he was going to be right dead in the center of it.

Everyone looked down right terrified. Mrs. Weasley was pure weeping at the truth in their words and to be witness to the loss of such innocence. Sirius looked pained as if he was watching history repeat itself and he just couldn't stop it and maybe he was. The misfits looked worried, uncertain even, but Harry didn't doubt them, not at all. Hermione and Ron had their heads held high and were looking at Harry, promising to be with him with their eyes. Ginny stared defiantly at her mother who was trying to choke out protests.

The thing was about war was that you were never prepared. War wasn't a big battlefield where everyone got just one opponent. War wasn't fair. It was groups of men beating and murdering helpless children and women. It was one man leading and leaving a trail of death and destruction in his wake. It was prisoners and spies and injuries. It was innocent children being forced to fight. It was losing people who had no part in it. War was chaos and no one was exempt.

"The boy is right, you know." Mad-eye spoke up gruffly. Mrs. Weasley sniffled loudly and Remus bowed his head. It was the nail in the coffin.

"So, what do we do then?" Em spoke up.

"Well, we train up for one. And, for another, we wait for Dumbledore to show. He will soon." Mad-eye said, brushing back a clump of matted hair.

"Okay, let's do it." Harry said, finalizing it.

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Harry didn't know what he was expecting. Maybe he thought they'd be brandishing their wands and learning a multitude of spells. Maybe he was under the impression that they'd be moving nonstop to improve. Maybe he had figured that they'd all actually be actively trying to prepare for the war.

What he didn't think he'd be doing was cleaning. After the decision was made that they'd train up and wait for Dumbledore, absolutely nothing changed. The next day, the kids were assigned a section of the place to clean and the adults stayed separate to do their own thing. Remus, Mad-eye, and Mrs. Weasley left to go check on the injured from the previous fight. And, everything was back to the way it was.

It was like Mad-eye hadn't ever even showed up. Harry didn't know what to think about it or how to react to them being brushed off. He had a lot going on in his head and he kept getting looks from his friends. They all seemed to be waiting on him to do something about the lack of everything. And, Harry wanted to stick to his word but how could he?

He didn't know how to handle a war or how to hone his skills. He didn't exactly know what to do but he knew he had to be productive. Plus, he didn't know what to tell the misfits, at all. They hadn't mentioned going home and he knew why. That would mean returning to Karlbergs and leaving him and he knew they wouldn't dare to do that. But, he didn't exactly know how they played into this situation.

They couldn't go to Hogwarts with him, should he be forced to go back. They couldn't do magic or defend themselves. Em, sure, but not the rest. It would be like putting a yorkie in a fight with a werewolf. There was no chance and it hit Harry that they couldn't participate. In a way, he was relieved. He didn't want them to get hurt and he almost wished his magical friends were muggles. That'd save him a lot of stress.

So, biding his time, Harry cleaned.

It was a rather demeaning thing to do. He had been confronted with something and he avoided it simply because he had no idea how to handle it. The others were watching and waiting for him to take the lead on this one. He just couldn't. He felt as if he was off kilter, as if he was scrambling. Dumbledore was gone, the adults were making promises they weren't keeping, and the war was actually on their doorstep.

That was the biggest alarm bell going off in his head. The war, it was here, and not in the way he had assumed it would be. There was no big explosion or announcement or battle. Voldemort was slowly inching his way to take full control. He was actually keeping everything subdued and uncertain. Harry knew nothing about what was going on and he wasn't being told anything about it.

So, that was the first thing.

A week after Mad-eye had burst in, lecturing them on their lack of action, Harry had enough. He decided that something had to be done. The cycle of him not being able to do anything because he didn't know anything and he didn't know anything because he couldn't do anything had to be broken. And so, Harry rallied his troops. It was time to get serious. And no, not his godfather either.

Harry was cleaning with Em, idly making up a plan in his head, when it came to him. He dropped the duster and turned to her. Quietly, he told her to follow him and they set off. All the teens had been given a few separate rooms on one floor and Harry stopped by each one, getting everyone to gather. Once he had everyone in one room, he shut the door and turned to them rather seriously. They were silent, waiting.

"Okay, we have to do something." Harry finally said. Hermione sagged in relief and nodded.

"Thank merlin. I thought you were never going to say anything." She said.

"Took you long enough, mate." Ron agreed.

"Stuff it. Excuse me for thinking they were going to keep their word." Harry snapped, motioning towards downstairs, a bit peeved that they hadn't.

"Alright, relax. Got any ideas?" Ginny asked.

"We need information. We have to find out what's going on or else we can't do anything." Harry said.

"Okay but how are we going to get said information?" Nick asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I... I don't know. I'm open to any ideas." Harry mumbled, spreading his hands and giving the floor.

"I'd say extendable ears but Remus warded against them." Ron said with a frown.

"We can't just sneak in?" Olivia asked.

"We're locked out." Harry replied.

"Wait, Harry..." Hermione said, standing up straight. Her eyes were bright as she glanced at Josh. He was tapping his lips, looking deep in thought.

"What?" Harry asked, leaning forward.

"We're warded out, right?" Hermione asked, excitement creeping in her voice as she motioned to herself, him, Ginny, Em, and Ron.

"Yeah." Harry confirmed.

"But... They aren't." Hermione said, pointing to Olivia and Josh and Nick.

"Wait, why am I warded out?" Em asked with a slight pout. Hermione sighed.

"You're a witch, an underage witch, so you're warded out. Remus and Mad-eye are every thorough."

"Oh."

"But, we aren't?" Nick asked.

"There is just a ward for underage _witches and wizards_ , but not muggles."

"So, we can get in and listen." Olivia breathed out, nodding as she realized the plan.

"The door is actually locked, though." Ginny mumbled with a frown, biting her lip.

"We can't use an Alohomora, they'd know." Ron pointed out. "We'd also be expelled."

"Obviously." Hermione agreed. "There has to be some other way to get in."

"Great, we know they can get in but we can't get them in. Beaten by a locked door." Ginny grumbled. Olivia smirked and walked over to Ginny, invading her personal space. Olivia leaned forward, their noses nearly bumping, and reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. Ginny's face erupted in a blush.

"Oh, darling, you have never seen me with a bobby pin, have you?" Olivia murmured, pulling back. And, Ginny's hair fell into her face as Olivia revealed a bobby pin she'd borrowed.

"W-what?" Ginny stuttered, her blush getting impossibly darker. Olivia winked.

"Just a talent, darling. Trust me, I can get us in."

"Oh...kay." Hermione said, clearing her throat. "So, we can get them in but how can they go unnoticed."

"I know." Ron piped up, eyeing Olivia strangely.

"You do?" Hermione questioned skeptically. Ron shot her a disgruntled look.

"Don't sound so doubtful. Now listen. When we were at the Dursleys asking about Harry, I went up to his room and-"

"You did?" Harry interrupted. Ron blushed faintly and shrugged sheepishly.

"I thought that you might've left a note or clue if the Dursleys had done something to you. Anyways, I started looking around." Ron trailed off, his face turning slowly into triumph.

"And?" Hermione prompted smartly.

"There were a few things that I grabbed for Harry, thinking that I could give them back once we finally found him. Harry had left-"

"Of course! My cloak!" Harry burst out, his face breaking into a wide grin. Ron nodded.

"Yep." He said, popping the 'p' proudly.

"Brilliant, Ron!" Hermione praised.

"Uh, cloak?" Nick asked.

"It's an invisibility cloak. If you're under it, you're invisible." Harry explained.

"No way." Em said, her eyes wide.

"Mhm. But, there is one problem." Hermione said with a grimace. Harry groaned.

"What now?"

"Mad-eye can see right through it." She said.

"Bloody hell, we have no luck." Ron huffed.

"Do you think he'd say something?" Em asked doubtfully. They all stared at her.

"You don't think so?" Ginny asked.

"No, not really. Think about it. He's the one who wants us to train, right? I think he'd want us to take action." Em said.

"You like him." Harry noted. Em nodded.

"He's a good man."

"Okay but are we really willing to risk that?" Olivia protested the assumption.

"He might not even be there. He's been gone a lot lately." Ginny pointed out.

"Another risk. It could go either way." Olivia sighed.

"We'll just have to take that chance." Harry decided.

"But, what if we didn't?" Josh spoke up for the first time, looking up. He smiled as they turned to him.

"Alright, Josh, what's going on in that brilliantly mad head of yours?" Nick asked, tilting his head. Josh grinned, his eyes glinting in excitement.

"I've got an idea."

"Oh boy..."

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Sirius glanced down into his glass of firewhiskey, swirling it around like he'd seen his father do. Grimacing, he glanced up as he watched Remus tap the table. It wasn't a fast stressed tap but it was a slow rhythmic tap that Sirius knew to mean that Remus was trying his hardest not to panic. Sirius wished he could just scoot over and nudge him with a grin like he used to in their Hogwarts days. James would've threw something at Remus to get him to laugh and Peter... That didn't matter.

It wasn't his Hogwarts days anymore. He couldn't channel happiness from that time. So, instead, he stared at the glass and listened as Remus tapped the table. There was a heavy silence surrounding everyone, only Remus' tapping breaking it. Sirius wondered vaguely how long it would last.

It was a lot like last time, Sirius thought. Except, he didn't have his best friend at his side and there was no hope in the form of a surprise baby growing in one Lily Potter, nee Evans. In a lot of ways, everything was the same. Kids were growing up too fast and the war was coming faster than they could prepare. People were dying and everyone was scared. And, in other ways, everything was different. Sirius wasn't a kid growing up too fast, anymore. And, he had Harry to worry about. Harry, who was one of those kids.

Sometimes, Sirius found himself thinking what Lily and James would think about how he interacted with Harry. Would they hate how he was with his godson? Would they feel they made a mistake by making him godfather? Would they be proud? Remus thought so. But then again, Sirius assumed that Remus let himself believe that for personal reasons.

After everything Sirius had ever been through, he'd learned not to lie to himself. And, the fact was that Sirius wasn't exactly the model godfather. In fact, he suspected that James and Lily had other thoughts in their minds when they chose him. But, here he was, trying his best anyways. Luckily, Harry was a good kid.

Sirius had to admit that there for a while, he'd been worried. Seeing Harry, _Harry_ , having tattoos and piercings had been a shock to the system. It reminded him of...well, of himself. It was something he would've done without hesitation. It was amusing and he could just picture Lily and James' reaction. That would've been something he'd love to see.

Despite the total whiplash in appearance, Harry hadn't changed deep down. He was still a good boy, still had a heart of gold, still fierce and determined. It worried Sirius. He always thought that something like that, something that James and Lily both had, was going to lead Harry down the path of destruction. Sirius was very worried that Harry might not make it through this war, especially not with Voldemort singling him out like he was.

Sirius didn't think about it much unless he was planning on getting drunk. The thought of losing Harry wasn't something he could fathom and he didn't even want to. It was his recurring nightmare and the fact that it could oh so easily become reality left him very alarmed. It was one of the reasons he allowed the others to keep the kids in the dark about everything.

Sirius could recall a time when he would've told Harry everything, when he would've wanted Harry to know. And, he knew how bad it got when Harry was kept in the dark. The battle in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry was just proof of that. But, this was different. They couldn't find Dumbledore and he hadn't notified them for a bit now. The war, a nasty one, was approaching, once again, way too fast. They weren't ready and had no guidance.

Harry couldn't handle that right now. He had a lot going on, despite the idea that he didn't. For one, he needed to sit back and be patient. Until Dumbledore got back, no one was doing much of anything. Voldemort was being quiet and calm as he went about taking over the Ministry. He was taking his time and that alone worried Sirius. It was all very stressful and Harry didn't need that right now.

A loud squawking broke through his thoughts and he glanced up. The fireplace flared and a ruffled owl flew out, circling the room. Sirius was on his feet in a second, his wand pointed at the annoyed bird. He wasn't the only one. Everyone was at the ready. The owl circled around a few more times before finally dipping down right in front of Mad-eye. The owl stuck out a leg and hooted almost indignantly. Mad-eye shot multiple spells at it until he deemed it safe and grabbed it and opened it to read.

"Well?" Sirius asked, not caring that he was being nosy at all. Mad-eye frowned hard.

"Tonks. She sent me a letter." Mad-eye muttered.

"Is she okay?" Molly asked in worry.

"Yeah, she just asked me to come see her." He growled, standing up.

"Tell her we send our love." Molly said quietly.

"Yeah. Alright, just... You lot discuss _something_. We've got to do something productive." Mad-eye huffed before stomping over to the fireplace and leaving with a scowl.

"He's right. We have to talk about this." Remus sighed.

"And, say what?" Kingsley murmured.

"Well, we could talk about the fact that Dumbledore has been gone for too long." Sirius piped up.

"And, where would that get us?" Kingsley challenged. Sirius opened his mouth to reply but Remus cut him off with a sharp look.

"Listen, he's got a point. Dumbledore went to Severus' call and we've heard nothing since."

"You think Severus had something to do with this?" McGonagall asked tightly.

"I'm not making accusations-"

"But, it was his call that Dumbledore went missing on. Plus, have you seen or heard from him since?" Sirius interrupted, ignoring Remus' warning look.

"No, but that might be the point! Severus is missing as well." McGonagall replied tersely.

"Or curled up at his master's side." Sirius muttered.

"Sirius! You can't just assume that Severus is in the wrong here." Molly scolded.

"She's right, Sirius. This is far beyond childhood rivalries." Arthur agreed.

"That's not what this is about!" Sirius snapped.

"What is it about then, Sirius?" Kingsley asked.

"It's about the facts. Fact is that Dumbledore is gone and the only link to that has been Snape calling on him for help with the Malfoy boy." Sirius gritted out.

"We have no idea what's going on with that, either. We can't just figure that is Severus' fault." Kingsley said, frowning.

"You also had no idea about the infiltration at the Ministry, did you? And, through the Aurors, no less. But, that doesn't mean it didn't happen." Sirius retorted harshly and Kingsley bristled.

"Sirius." Remus said warningly and Sirius settled down. Kingsley, on the other hand, was offended.

"Are you suggesting that we're not handling this right? Do you think you could do better?" Kingsley asked in a low voice with a scowl. Sirius sighed.

"No, I just... It's just like last time. Everything is starting to come to head now. We've already been hit hard. We have no idea if Dumbledore is alive or-"

"Don't say that!" Molly gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth as her eyes widened in horror.

"It's the truth, Molly. We are just sitting around, twiddling our thumbs, and waiting on the next hit to come at us. We aren't acting because we refuse to make assumptions or accusations. I say we should. Why not? We sure didn't the last time around and look where that got us."

"Sirius, your grudge against Peter Pettigrew cannot-"

"No!" Sirius slammed his hands down on the table and stood, inwardly thankful for the silencing charm on the door. "No. My grudge against Peter has nothing to do with the way I believe this should be handled. Nothing at all."

"I think it does." McGonagall fearlessly pressed on. "I think that this is all it is about. You fear that history might repeat itself. You're paranoid."

" _I'm not_. This isn't about that rat! This is about my godson, _my godson_ who is fidgeting as we all sit around and wait for Voldemort to come!" Sirius shouted, pointing towards the door in emphasis.

" _Sirius_." Remus said more strongly. Sirius breathed in deeply, catching the warning for what it was, and slowly sat back down.

"I'm sorry." Sirius apologized to McGonagall and snapped his mouth closed, recognizing that he might have just exploded on someone he had always respected. She graciously dipped her head in forgiveness, something Sirius was thankful for.

"Okay, we have to calm down. We can't just slowly go mad and like Sirius said, we can't do nothing. We have to look at the facts and lay it all out there on the table and then decide what to do. So, what are we looking at here?" Remus murmured.

"Well, the Ministry is slowly spiralling out of control. I didn't have any inclination that Voldemort was going for the Aurors, none of us did. He's taking where is the most important. Top chain positions and those who would be fighting him." Kingsley said.

"How long before he takes full control, do you think?"

"It will be a little while longer. We've got some time. He hasn't even touched on the muggle department." Arthur answered.

"He hit that pretty early on last time." Sirius mentioned.

"Okay, what about Hogwarts?" Remus asked McGonagall.

"Safe as ever. There have been reports from Hogsmeade that certain stores have been stolen from only a bit. Slowly, things are being stolen but not all at once. Also, a few of the centaurs have mentioned that they've been running dark forces from their territory."

"Great." Kingsley sighed.

"What do we know about Dumbledore and that mission from Severus?" Remus asked, moving on.

"Well, we know it involved the Malfoy boy and that it was urgent." Sirius said.

"Yes, and we know that he's been gone for two weeks now without word from either of them." Arthur said.

"Maybe we're looking at this wrong." Remus murmured, tapping the table faster as his mind raced.

"Remus? What are you thinking?" Molly asked, biting her lip slightly.

"We're looking at this from Severus and Dumbledore, yes? But, what do we have on the Malfoy family? Have any of you seen Lucius in the Ministry recently or caught glimpse of Draco and Narcissa?"

"Actually, now that you mention it... No. I heard that Lucius actually took a small holiday, apparently spending the anniversary of his father's death with his family." Arthur said slowly.

"I heard the same." Kingsley confirmed.

"That's a lie." Sirius blurted out.

"Now, Sirius, we don't know that for sure." Remus said quietly. Sirius huffed.

"Actually, we do. You forget, I'm a Black. I was one of the ones to actually be present for Abraxas' funeral. I was forced to go, yes, but I was there. Abraxas' death anniversary is months away."

"So, Lucius is lying. And, he knows that he's got enough leverage in the system that no one will check to see if he is lying." Kingsley hummed.

"So, the Malfoy family has been absent for as long as Dumbledore and Snape has?" Sirius mumbled.

"Well, that's not good." Remus said bluntly.

"Yeah, that about sums that up." Sirius whispered.

Everyone fell silent and they all seemed to realize just what their situation was looking like. For one, it seemed as if they were screwed. Great, just great. With a few mumbled words, it was decided that this meeting was officially over. Silently and with burdens, everyone dispersed. Kingsley went back to the Ministry and McGonagall went back to Hogwarts. Molly and Arthur headed out the door, quietly murmuring. The fireplace flared as others went home. Soon, it was just Sirius and Remus.

"Are you alright?" Remus murmured. Sirius sighed and tipped his head back, wishing for more drink.

"Not really. I've got a headache." He admitted.

"You were upset." Remus noted casually.

"A bit, yeah."

"I don't blame you. I don't but... You can't lash out like that." Remus said seriously.

"I know. I'm sorry. I just... It's hard." Sirius whispered, leaning his head back forward. Remus smiled slightly and stood up, walking to stand beside Sirius chair and lean against the table. Sirius had to tilt his head back to look up at Remus.

"It is." Remus agreed softly. "That won't change."

"Aren't you supposed to comfort me?" Sirius muttered. Remus chuckled and leaned forward, bracing his hands on the arms of Sirius' chair. Their noses nearly bumped and Sirius, despite his age, felt his heart leap.

"I can try." Remus hummed.

Sirius felt a smirk pull at his lips as Remus leaned down and kissed him softly. It made Sirius feel young again. At thirty-six, he shouldn't have felt as aged and haggard as he did but he'd been put through the wringer. Remus wiped that all away and made him feel as if everything would be okay one day.

Sirius stood up and crowded Remus space, kissing him slowly. He could easily remember how fiery he used to be with Remus, back when they were young and in love. Back then, everything was quick and hot and no less meaningful. But now, _now_ , it was slow and deep and set all of his senses to high alert. He came alive with Remus now, became animated, and nothing around him was dull with Remus.

And, that was how he smelled it. He got a light whiff of something that wasn't Remus or the house. He pulled away from Remus, slightly breathless, and blinked. Remus looked equally confused, clearly having smelt it as well. Despite the fact that they were fully human, they also had enhanced senses, thanks to their canine counterparts. It came in handy.

"What was that?" Sirius asked.

"Was that perfume?" Remus replied.

"It...smelled like...strawberries?" Sirius mumbled.

Before they could work through that, the door opened and they turned to it. They stared, waiting, for a good while. No one came in and no one went out. Sirius and Remus shared a look of utter confusion before shrugging and brushing it off.

"Must have been nothing." Remus decided.

"Must have. Now, where were we?"

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"Okay! Okay, ew! You can stop now." Harry burst out, grimacing slightly.

"But, it was so sweet." Josh teased, batting his eyes.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Ron grumbled.

"And, you're sure that's all they said?" Hermione asked seriously, shooting her boys a scolding look.

"Yes." Olivia confirmed.

They all fell silent, glancing around at one another. Harry stroked his invisibility cloak as he was lost in thought. Josh, Nick, and Olivia had returned from spying and immediately told them all they heard. And, by all, Harry meant _all_. He hadn't really wanted to hear about how his godfather had snogged his ex professor. Josh had went into vivid detail, despite that.

Ginny had her chin in her hands and her foot bounced as she mulled over everything she heard. Ron's face was twisted as he tried to work through everything they'd been told. Hermione's eyes were glazed over and Harry could practically hear the cogs in her head turning. Olivia, Em, Josh, and Nick watched them, seeming to wait for their thoughts on it.

Harry, well, he was stumped. From what he heard, everything was just a big mess right now. One thing he did know, though, was that Dumbledore was being kept by the Malfoys. Sure, he didn't have proof but he knew it. And, one thing was for certain, Dumbledore needed to be rescued from there.

"What are we going to do?" Hermione asked.

"We have to save Dumbledore." Harry said assuredly.

"What!? Harry, no. We don't even know where he is." Hermione burst out rationally.

"At the Malfoys, obviously."

"We don't know that for sure." Hermione insisted.

"You heard them. They said Mr. Malfoy has been gone. It's pretty obvious." Harry replied.

"Wait, Harry, I think Hermione is right." Ginny said. Harry paused and stared at her.

"It doesn't matter. If there is a chance that he might be, we have to go." Harry said slowly.

"That sounds all fine and good in theory. But, do you have any idea where the Malfoy manor is? How would we get there?" Hermione challenged.

"Harry, slow down and think about this." Nick agreed.

"What's there to think about?" Harry snapped.

"The fact that this war is bigger than some rescue mission." Em murmured.

"But-"

"Harry, mate, I hate to say it but they're right. There's something wrong here." Ron spoke up.

"What?" Harry asked dumbly.

"It's just... They are talking about how V-Voldemort was taking over slowly, right? It just doesn't seem right." Ron said, his brow furrowed.

"What do you mean, Ron?" Ginny asked.

"It just doesn't make sense. The strategy of it... It's just...well, it's stupid." Ron said, shrugging.

"So, you're saying Voldemort is an idiot." Josh pointed out, looking amused.

"That's the last thing I'm saying. You've all heard the stories about the previous war. It was dark and fast and indestructible. Everyone talks about how Voldemort went about it and this doesn't fit."

"Maybe he's doing it differently this time." Harry suggested. Ron frowned and shook his head. Harry could just picture a chessboard in front of him. He was strategizing seriously.

"No, no, this is something else. What he's doing isn't benefiting him at all." Ron huffed, frustrated as he tried to work through the problem.

"So, there is a specific purpose he's going so slow, is what you're saying." Hermione said. Ron nodded.

"It's like..." Ron's face cleared and he glanced up. "It's like he is toying with us, like he is just directly messing with the Order. He wants us as his main audience for something, for something big. It's like he knows how vulnerable we are and is using that."

"You're saying he knows that Dumbledore is gone?" Ginny summarized anxiously.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. And, he is using that to his advantage. He's going to do something huge." Ron murmured, real worry clouding his expression.

"And, just how does he know about Dumbledore unless he has him?" Harry hissed, fidgeting.

"Oh merlin, Voldemort has Dumbledore!" Ginny burst out, her eyes wide.

"But, I thought the Malfoys did?" Josh said slowly. And, that's when it clicked for Harry.

"Bloody hell." He breathed out.

"What, Harry? What is it?" Hermione asked sharply, seeing the realization wash over Harry's face.

Harry was sure he had paled rapidly and his hands wrung out almost without his permission. He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. It was blaringly obvious and he felt like an idiot for not connecting the dots earlier. His mind raced at warp speed and his stomach churned as the full effect of his conclusion actually hit him. He cleared his throat.

"Think about it, Hermione. Who, out of all of Voldemort's followers, would have the most protected and luxurious home? Who would Voldemort willingly settle in with out of everyone? Where, to hide and to be well taken care of, cherished even, would he go?" Harry whispered. Hermione's face lit up and it morphed into horror as she finally got it.

"The Malfoys. Voldemort is at the Malfoys." Hermione choked out, her eyes wide.

"And, Dumbledore is there." Harry said quietly.

"With Dumbledore out of the way, Voldemort could do anything." Ron said.

"We have to tell the Order, Harry. We have to let them go rescue him." Hermione said hastily.

"I thought-"

"Yes, but this is rational!" Hermione cut Harry off.

"Wait, what about Snape?" Nick piped up, never one to forget any attention to detail.

"What about him?" Ron asked flatly.

"He plays a part in this too, right? So, how?" Nick presented the issue. Everyone fell silent as they mulled that over. Because, Nick had a point.

"It could be like Sirius said. He could be on Voldemort's side." Harry spoke up first.

"Harry, we can't just jump to that conclusion." Hermione mumbled, biting her lip.

"And, why not?" Harry challenged.

"Because, he might be a spy, really. Dumbledore trusts him." Hermione retorted.

"And, look where that got him." Harry spat bitterly.

"Okay, hey! Just say for arguments sake that Hermione is actually right and this Snape bloke isn't the bad guy. Theoretically, what part would he play into this and where does that leave him?" Em called out reasonably. Harry pursed his lips.

"Okay, say that he is actually a spy. There are two options. He's either dead for being caught or-"

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, scandalized. He rolled his eyes and Harry had to admire how seriously Ron was taking this. For once, he wasn't being exceptionally slow on the uptake. It was his time to shine.

" _Or_ , he's playing a role and trying to keep Dumbledore alive until someone figures it out." Ron finished. Harry sighed heavily.

"Either way, Dumbledore has to be saved." He said.

"We've got to tell the Order." Hermione said, her eyes serious and solemn. And, for once, Harry agreed.

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When the eight teens demanded that Remus and Sirius gather the Order, they'd been immediately denied. However, Harry had some sway and eventually, Sirius did as he was asked. In twenty minutes flat, the dining room was full of expectant and annoyed adults.. In truth, Harry hadn't expected so many people to actually be in the order.

"Okay, Harry, you got us all here, what do you want?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Er..." Harry trailed off, not quite sure what to say. Em rolled her eyes and stepped up to stand at his side.

"First, we have to explain a few things. Mad-eye, it was us that sent that letter, not Tonks." Em admitted. Mad-eye glared at her.

"What would you go about doing something like that for?" Mad-eye snapped.

"We needed you gone so we could eavesdrop on your meeting. That magical eye of yours was a problem. We solved it." Josh spoke up.

"Eavesdrop? You couldn't eavesdrop. We had the wards-"

"Against magical teens, yes?" Nick cut off Remus triumphantly. Remus' face cleared and he blinked.

"But, the door was locked." Mr. Weasley said.

"Olivia has very talented fingers." Ginny blurted out. A pause in which everyone stared at her and she blushed brightly as she realized the weight of her words. Olivia grinned and flicked her hair cheekily.

"I picked the lock."

"You weren't here." Kingsley said.

"Oh? So, how do we know about Lucius' little vacation or the fact that there is nothing on Dumbledore's and Snape's end?" Josh challenged. The adults all shared looks of stunned alarm.

"But, how..."

"We have our ways!" Josh said with flair, relishing in the chance to be dramatic. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Anyways, the point is that we know where Dumbledore is." Harry said. That got an immediate reaction from everyone in the room.

"Dumbledore has been caught and is being kept at the Malfoy manor and Voldemort is there."

Harry had expected everyone to start immediately preparing for a rescue mission. He'd expected them to start figuring out ways of infiltrating said manor. He had expected, foolishly apparently, for them to believe him. What he hadn't expected was for everyone to dismiss him as if he was some snot nosed little tyke who had no idea what he was talking about.

He was Harry Potter for Merlin's sake! He deserved some benefit of the doubt but none was given. Many scoffs met his declaration and people were clearly upset for apparent false hope. Harry watched, horrified, as many adults just left. Everyone started clearing out, scolding the teens for _wasting their time_ and _entertaining stupid ideas_. It set Harry's teeth on edge and one of the worst was getting a scolding personally from McGonagall.

Did she not recall first year when they'd warned her about Quirrell? Harry was extending more trust to these adults and being shot down. _Again_. It was very frustrating and he was left stewing with only Sirius, Remus, Mad-eye, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and Kingsley as his audience besides his friends. He felt like an idiot and made a mental note to never go to an adult with serious things like this again.

No matter how much his friends protested and tried to prove that he was right, it didn't matter. Harry could see it in Sirius' eyes. They didn't believe him, not even a tiny bit. He could see that Sirius and Remus knew they'd used the cloak and would be prepared for it the next time. He could see that no matter who he went to, they wouldn't put true faith in such youth. It made his blood boil and as they all got lectured, Harry realized that if no one would believe them and act accordingly, they'd have to do it themselves.

Like usual.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Alright, here is chapter nine. Everyone enjoy. Thank you all so much for the follows, favorite and reviews. Every time i get the notification, I smile. I really do enjoy writing this. Also, I am welcome to any ideas or feedback. A shout out to** ** _Ex Mentis_** **for the multiple reviews. Than k you so much. Also, thanks for your awesome feed back** ** _Rackshata_** **and** ** _KatieB_** **. So, please read and review.**

 **SPOILER ALERT FOR NEXT CHAPTER: WE SEE DRACO...AND SNAPE!**

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To say that Harry was tense in the days that followed the failed warning of Dumbledore's whereabouts would have been an understatement. In the days following, Harry was nothing but on edge. His nerves were frazzled and he jittery at all various points of the day. Considering what he had to deal with, Harry thought he deserved a break for his current state.

His friends were solid at his side, unrelenting and supportive in the face of disbelieving adults and dead end ideas. They all banded together to get through the repercussions of their actions. The punishment they were all assigned had everyone walking on eggshells for the days following. Not that cleaning was different than what they were doing previously but it was with the intent of punishment and that made it hold a whole new weight of meaning.

All in all, Harry thought that Hermione was the most crushed by the recent display of lack of care by the adults. It was her trust in them, in their abilities, that had pushed her to want to tell them. Like Harry, Hermione wouldn't ever entertain that idea again.

It made Harry feel as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his slim shoulders. The Order had no idea how in the wrong they were and Harry got it. He hated making excuses for them but there was the simple fact that the adults had it in their nature to think the teens were inferior. It didn't make Harry feel any better but Sirius and Remus apologized to him repeatedly and made it very clear they understood how he wished to get in the fray.

But, only Harry and his friends knew that wasn't what it was at all. They had reached the conclusion of Dumbledore's location in a seriously fair way. It was a viable lead and Harry just _knew_ he was right. Only his friends could see that and it drove him crazy to not be able to do anything. Harry was prepared to jump up and make a rescue mission of his own, that was just who he was, but there were plenty of issues.

They had no idea the location of the Malfoy manor. That was the main problem because how could they save Dumbledore if they couldn't reach him? Also, they had no way of getting to the manor if they did manage to find the location. It wasn't exactly like they could just take a taxi. Right? And, one of the biggest issues was that they couldn't exactly leave the house to figure something out due to their punishment.

So, yeah. Harry was a bit tense, so sue him.

Not even three days had passed since they come to the conclusion of everything that Harry got fed up. The thing was that he knew that something had to give. So much time had passed already and they hadn't heard a breath from Dumbledore. Soon, they wouldn't have anything left to rescue.

It was driving him mad and he knew he had to do something whether he broke any rules or not. Sometimes, in the scheme of things, rules had to be broken to do for the better. Harry had been secluded in a room with Ron, literally washing walls, when he finally had enough. Of course, the others were waiting for his cue and he finally decided to give it.

"Ron." He whispered. Ron looked up, his nose wrinkled from where he was also scrubbing walls.

"Yeah?"

"We need to get the others." Harry hissed.

"How are we going to do that? Sirius and dad are in the hall, cleaning out the closets." Ron muttered. Harry bit his lip.

"We've got to do something to get everyone together."

"I hear you, mate, but how?"

"Josh and Nick are next door. We can sneak over and brainstorm, unless you've got any ideas." Harry said.

"We could knock 'em out and lock them in a closet." Ron muttered, a dark scowl flickering over his face. Harry snorted.

"What exactly did your dad say when he lectured you and Gin?"

"Doesn't matter." Ron grunted.

"Well, it obviously brings out your violent tendencies. Let's not knock them out just yet. Let's get some ideas before we do."

And so, they did exactly that. Harry had a raging headache, maybe from all the stress or maybe from the nightmares that Voldemort took pleasure in filming for him, but he didn't let it stop him. He and Ron both dropped their sponges, grinning as they did, and creeped over to the door. They opened it, both sharing a wince as it creaked rather loudly.

However, their worry was all for nought. Mr. Weasley and Sirius were both half in and half out of a closet, wands brandished, and appeared wholly distracted. Harry had to wonder what mildly dark creature they'd uncovered and how they were planning to get rid of it. Either way, it gave them a nice break and they easily took the opportunity. Ron and Harry both darted out and quietly burst in on Josh and Nick.

It was only after they saw the scene before them that Harry thought they should've knocked. Harry and Ron had _definitely_ interrupted something. Nick and Josh had pulled away from each other abruptly and both looked equally guilty. Harry stamped down on his frustration and tried not to curse himself. If he just cut into what might have been the bridge to the gap in their relationship, Harry was going to bang his head against the nearest wall.

"What are you doing here?" Josh blurted out, not so smoothly, and Nick cleared his throat.

"What were you two doing?" Ron asked suspiciously and Harry could've kicked him. He loved his best friend, he truly did, but Ron could be really transparent sometimes.

"Look, that doesn't matter. We need your help." Harry said quickly, saving Nick and Josh from some fumbled and halfhearted stuttering explanation.

"What with? We finally breaking out?" Josh asked in renewed interest. He liked anything that took time to plan. Harry chuckled.

"Soon. I need to get everyone together so we can figure out how to reach that point. But... Mr. Weasley and Sirius are guarding the hall under the pretence that they are cleaning this hall of dark creatures."

"So, we need to get rid of them?" Nick hummed.

"Preferably in a non harmful way." Harry confirmed, throwing Ron a pointed look. Ron had the decency to blush and look slightly ashamed.

"We could lock them in a closet." Josh fired off immediately. Harry frowned.

"They have wands."

"Er... We could..." Josh trailed off, looking at a loss.

"Nothing? Seriously?" Harry asked, vaguely disappointed. Josh looked affronted.

"Exactly, Harry. That's why you don't sent a boy to do a man's job." Nick said cheekily, smirking at Josh who scowled and huffed rather petulantly.

"What's your idea, then?" Ron asked.

"Well, they're keeping watch without being obvious that they're keeping watch, right?" Nick said.

"Right." Harry agreed.

"So, as long as they hear work going on when they walk past the rooms, they won't come in."

"I guess not." Harry agreed a little uncertainly.

"They don't want us to know they're our wardens so no, they won't. All we have to do is make sure that their is a few bumps and the sound of cleaning coming from each room we leave from. Then, we sneak by and not get caught and keep quiet. They won't even notice we're gone." Nick said smugly.

"Okay, genius, but how exactly are we going to leave cleaning noises behind?" Josh challenged.

"Hey, I'm not a neurotic genius for nothing. Look what our darling Sirius left for us to have."

Harry, Ron, and Josh followed Nick's directing nod right over to a recorder. No, a _stack_ of recorders. Harry's face smoothed out and he was never so thankful that his godfather was a rebellious muggle loving teenager once. He felt a grin slip on his face and his green eyes glinted in delight.

"Hate to ruin the party here but that won't work because of all the magic here." Ron sighed.

"Oh please. Leave it to me. I can fix anything." Josh said breezily, seeming sure.

"Josh, I don't think-"

"Just give me a minute." Josh cut Harry off and moved over to the records, a serious look of deep concentration slipping on his face.

And, Harry really shouldn't have doubted him.

In about five minutes of nervous shifting, Josh worked on the recorders. As he got them crackling and working, he gave a cry of victory and turned to them with a wide grin. They all shared delighted grins and congratulated Josh on his skills. They all gave the noises of cleaning and random bumps, recording it nice and cleanly. Harry had to admit, it really was brilliant. Once done with that, they stepped in the hall.

Mr. Weasley and Sirius were still distracted and only their ankles could be seen from the closet. It was almost too easy. As they hurried past the room Ron and Harry came from, Josh cut on a recorder and slid it under the door. The next stop was to Hermione's and Em's room. Silently and watching the two adults closely, they opened the door and all rushed in.

"Harry?" Em asked, startled. She was on her hands and knees, her hair a cute mess atop her head, and she was actually wearing an apron. Hermione peeked from behind a nightstand and stood up.

"We've come to bust you ladies out." Ron announced, smiling widely. Harry could understand. There was a certain thrill for breaking the rules in this way.

"Oh?" Hermione asked, arching an eyebrow. She stepped from behind the nightstand and they saw she was also wearing an apron. Where Em's was just blue, Hermione's was floral print and bright green. The boys all stared at her and Ron looked particularly infatuated with the sight.

"The apron." Em whispered, pulling hers off. Hermione blinked and looked down, surprised. She blushed and practically ripped it off, tossing it away.

"They were just there and we didn't want to get too dirty. It was filthy in here." Hermione blurted out.

"Right... Anyway, ladies, it's time to go. Try and resist and you'll come to realize all your struggles are just futile." Josh said with poise, winking dramatically.

"But, how? What about our jailors?" Em asked.

"Got you covered." Nick said easily. That, apparently, was enough for Em and she just nodded. Hermione, however, looked skeptical.

"Are you sure?"

"Hermione, trust me. We'll explain everything after we get Olivia and Ginny." Ron said, rolling his eyes. Hermione bit her lip and sighed.

"Fine."

Josh clicked on a recorder, a few bumps and the squelching of sponges filling the air. Hermione looked impressed but didn't comment. They all slipped out the door, keeping a careful eye on the closet the two adults were still in. They could hear muffled talking and few thumps but that only spurred them on. They reached Olivia and Ginny's assigned room and entered in without so much as a knock.

Once again, Harry regretted not giving any slight warning at all. Though, he had to admit that with Ginny and Olivia he never thought he'd have to. They all froze in the doorway when they were met with the sight of the two redheaded girl snogging. Harry was stunned, his mouth dropping open in shock.

They'd all gotten an eyeful and Harry supposed he would be scarred for life, as would the others. Ginny was sitting on a desk that sat against the wall, her legs opened and crossed behind Olivia's waist. Olivia looked downright comfortable to be settled against Ginny, her hands threaded through Ginny's red locks and kissing the younger girl thoroughly.

Harry knew from experience that Olivia was a very nice kisser but Ginny seemed to be enjoying it far more than Harry had. And, Olivia looked completely blissful, as if she could kiss Ginny for decades. Harry had the urge to make a strangled noise in the back of his throat. It wasn't like there was a war going on or that Dumbledore needed to be saved. No, not at all. And suddenly, Harry could see where Mad-eye was coming from when he'd had his explosion.

Ron choked.

Harry couldn't help but be amused, despite his sliver of frustration. For one, Ron looked like he'd been hit in the head with a stray bludger. Harry didn't doubt that he had at first too but he knew he'd recovered. It was just that it was two girls and that made his head go sluggish and maybe a bit confused. Add that to it being Ginny and Olivia, two girls he knew, and that just made his brain falter.

Ron provided that strangled choking noise so he didn't have to, sounding like a garbled dying cat, and that got the attention of the otherwise occupied girls. Olivia pulled away and Ginny actually _whimpered_ as she did. They stared at each other for a moment, both pairs of eyes blinking dazedly, before Olivia stepped back and Ginny slid down to stand, only slightly noticeably shaking.

"Hey." Olivia greeted casually, as if she hadn't just been snogging Ginny with ferocity reminiscent to a very hungry lion.

"Well, look who has been busy." Josh said slyly.

"Har har. Is this the breakout?" Olivia asked, shooting a concerned look at Ginny. The other girl looked mortified and had her eyes planted firmly in the floor.

Harry could understand, he really could. His confusion with his own sexuality hadn't gone away in a puff of smoke. He was still just as confused and uncertain as ever but he'd put that on a back burner for now. Still, he could sense the fear in Ginny's stance, see it in the way she shrunk in herself and went for a meek display. He knew that her head was probably a mess right then and that she was worried that they'd hate her.

He'd suspected something different about Ginny, had ever since Olivia had mentioned people being different on the bus. He'd been under the impression that maybe Ginny had wanted to be a boy or be more boyish. But maybe, just maybe, Ginny was just not as girly as everyone else and played on that because she liked girls. Maybe she thought that she _had_ to be boyish to be able to like girls. It bothered Harry that Ginny might pretend to be something she wasn't or that she might feel shame for something she was.

So, amongst the awkward silence, Harry waltzed right over to Ginny and gave her a tight hug. She absolutely melted against him, dispelling a deep breath. It must've been a relief to know that he didn't hate her. It irked him that she even entertained the thought that he could. He pulled back and gave her a calming smile, hoping to relax her. She did, marginally. Then, without broaching the elephant in the room, Harry swept what they just saw under the rug, leaving no chance to talk about it, and jumped right on into the plan they needed to form.

"So, how are we going to rescue Dumbledore?"

For a beat, no one said a thing. Hermione was looking at Ginny as if she was a puzzle she only realized she was missing pieces to. It wasn't a negative look, not at all, but more of a 'how-did-I-never-know' kind of look. Ron was the one who looked the most troubled and Harry suspected that had to do with the fact that Ginny was his little sister. Still, Harry cleared his throat expectantly and the moment passed, for then at least.

"So it is the breakout? Great, I'm in." Olivia chirped easily. Harry hummed.

"We've got to find out where the Malfoy manor is."

"I actually think I may know how." Hermione said slowly and everyone stared at her.

"Well?" Nick urged her.

"You know how Sirius said that he was forced to go to Malfoy senior's funeral?" Hermione asked.

"Yes." Josh said.

"Well, it got me to thinking. Why? Why would Sirius have been forced to go? He wasn't related to Abraxas Malfoy in anyway. So, I was thinking that maybe it was just a pureblood thing. But then, I remembered that Narcissa Malfoy was a Black before she married Lucius." Hermione explained.

"So... Malfoy is part Malfoy and... _Black_?" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose. It was hard to think of Draco being vaguely related to Sirius.

"Precisely. So, that got me to thinking about how their marriage was an arranged marriage. And, all pureblood families keep in close contact with the families they are marrying their children off to. So, I went looking around."

"I _knew_ that was you!" Em burst out. "That night, I was having a nightmare and went to get some water. I could've sworn I caught a glimpse of you going into the Black library."

"I borrowed Harry's cloak." Hermione admitted, smiling sheepishly.

"Thanks for asking." Harry deadpanned and she rolled her eyes.

"Do you want to hear this or not?"

"Right. Go on."

"Okay, so I started looking around and-"

"Snooping. You went snooping." Ron cut her off. Hermione glared at him until he looked away.

" _Anyway,_ as I was saying, I went _looking_ around to see what I could find. And, I found a Sirius' dad's study. In his drawer, there were really old and barely distinguishable documents and papers. A few of which were the marriage contracts. Did you know that Rodolphus Lestrange actually had a castle in eastern India?" Hermione trailed off, her eyes bright with knowledge. Harry chuckled.

"Nice to know. Anything else important you might know?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded.

"This, actually." Hermione said, reaching in her pants pocket and pulling out a worn out parchment with crinkles and smudges. "As soon as I saw it, I grabbed it up. It's exactly what we need. The only problem is that information we need is unreadable."

Harry opened the parchment and started reading it. His eyes flickered over every word he could make out, hoping an answer might jump out at him. The others, save for Hermione, crowded around him to get a good look. Harry frowned when he finished and looked up.

"This is the marriage contract between Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy." Harry pointed out. Hermione nodded.

"And, it has a lot of information on it. Cygnus Black kept everything about the Malfoys wrote down, all the pros and cons. It seems the Malfoys really wanted a tie into the Black fortune and power. And, if you notice in the pros section, it says location and it gives an address. But, unfortunately, it's smudged."

"So, basically, the one true thing we need is what we can't get?" Harry snapped.

"I'm sorry, Harry. A repairing charm wouldn't work, even if we could use magic. It'd just wipe the whole parchment clean. The address can't be recovered."

"I don't get it. Why would they keep valuable information like this here?" Nick asked curiously while Harry worked hard not to rip the parchment in a fit of anger. Josh frowned.

"Pride. It was a sign of pride and power. They had this to hang over the Malfoy's head. They kept all this just in case they needed legal proof that they had ties to them." Josh spoke up, his brow furrowing.

"How do you know that?" Ginny questioned softly, speaking for the first time since they'd entered.

"I grew up in a family full of refined pricks. I know how they function." Josh explained, shrugging.

"So, basically this is useless." Harry huffed, tossing the parchment before he really did rip it.

"Of course it isn't, silly." Em spoke up, darting a surprisingly quick hand out and catching the parchment. She smiled.

"What, it isn't?" Ron asked.

"Get me clean paper and a pencil and give me five minutes. I'll have this address for you in no time."

"Really?" Harry breathed out, his heart nearly seizing in his chest. Em nodded.

"Yep."

There was much scrambling to provide Em with what she needed. Harry wouldn't lie, he assumed that this was a bust. He never had much luck and if he did, it was usually bad. So, in all fairness, his doubt was justified. When Em grabbed the pencil and parchment, Harry wondered why Nick kept a random pencil on him at all times. That thought was quickly pushed out of his head as Em set to work.

It was like a scene from detective film or something. They all watched in awe and fascination as Em laid the clean parchment over the marriage contract and pressed down hard. She took the pencil and started rapidly shading over where the address would be. Em's tongue poked between her lips as she concentrated and then, she pulled away. They stared down at what was left and Harry was surprised to see faint words among the dark shading.

"Numbers?" Ron asked, tilting his head.

"Coordinates." Josh corrected.

"How do you know that, may I ask?" Hermione spoke up.

"I've been to many different parts of the world and in some places, coordinates is the only way to locate a certain secluded place." Josh explained easily.

"Is that why you know French?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Oh chérie, je parle plus que français." Josh said, winking. Harry blinked.

"Okay, never mind that. We've got the location of the Malfoy manor." Nick interrupted, annoyance written all over his face. And, if Harry wasn't mistaken, a smidge of jealousy was there as well.

"We've got to go." Harry said immediately.

"What? Harry, we can't just go. We need a plan." Hermione said, ever the voice of reason. Feeling pent up and jittery from having waited so long already, Harry scowled. But, Hermione, like normal, was right and they needed a plan.

"But, we cannot do this right now." Em said.

"Why?" Ron asked, brow furrowed.

"Too risky. We need to meet back up tonight. Under no circumstances do you act differently. Don't draw any attention to yourselves. Go back to cleaning and through the day, keep anything that might be useful. Tonight, we get together and we plan and then, we go. We can't wait much longer." Harry said, agreeing with Em.

"It might be a good idea to think up some plans as well." Olivia advised casually.

"She's right. This is happening tonight. We've got a headmaster to save."

.

.

.

Pretending that he didn't have the Malfoy's address burning a hole in his pocket throughout the day sounded a lot easier than it actually was. But, Harry managed. They all dispersed, keeping their recorders just in case, and went back on with their day. Mr. Weasley and Sirius eventually came and got them, announcing dinner, and they were free from cleaning.

They all kept up the downtrodden and sulking facade rather well. Harry couldn't detect an ounce of excitement from any of the others. That might have been because they were nervous. Multiple times, Harry caught a glimpse of Nick picking up random objects and slipping them somewhere. If Harry didn't know it was impossible, he'd think Nick was half kangaroo with built in hidden pouches and instead of housing his young, he hid his treasures. Harry grabbed a few things of his own; his cloak and Sirius' lighter were just two of them.

The day seemed to drag sluggishly on by and the whole time, Harry was considering how to get to the Malfoy manor. He honestly had no idea how to get all of them there. Short of stealing Buckbeak and his broom, he had no idea. But, Buckbeak would be way too obvious and damn near impossible to take. He truly had no ideas.

Luckily, he had a group of minds all working to one goal. Someone was bound to come up with _something_ and they did. When they all snuck back together, crowding in a spare closet that was just a bit too close to Sirius' mother in her portrait for Harry's taste, he got all sorts of ideas thrown his way. Surprisingly, Josh's beat everyone else's out, even Hermione's.

"We get on a bus." Josh had said.

"That would never work." Ron dismissed it immediately.

"Except, it just might." Harry breathed out, a grin stretching on his face.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Let's just say that I might know a bloke who can get us there."

"Who?" Ginny asked, her eyebrow cocked in doubt.

"I wonder how Stan is doing." Harry said with a grin.

Total foolproof plan if Harry did say so himself, and he did. Except, of course, the part where he had to first sneak out of Grimmauld Place without getting caught and had to get on the street and call the Knight bus to him and wait, still not getting caught, and then convince Ernie and Stan to drive him near such a place. Harry had a good sack of galleons he had grabbed so he was fairly sure the odds were in his favor. Almost.

Piece of cake, really.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: I know this took forever! I'm so sorry. I've been struggling with this and have had some major, major writer's block. However, this didn't come out like I wanted it to but it's here. Read and review and I'll keep writing!**

Until the day Harry hits his grave, he will not be able to fathom how they pulled it off. He won't be able to understand how _eight_ bloody teenagers snuck out of a safe house that was crawling with adults, two of which had slightly enhanced senses. The adults, not the teens, that is. He won't even begin to try and work through how all eight of them just walked out without the threat of being caught.

But, they did.

To top that off, the knight bus came as soon as his wand hit the air. With obnoxiously squealing tires and worrisome revving of the engine, the knight bus came to a loud screeching halt right in front of them on the very first call. Harry didn't even want to try and process how those within the aforementioned safe house didn't investigate what surely was one of the loudest and attention calling arrivals Harry had ever been witness to.

But, no one did.

And, even more than that, Stan was rather easily bribed to go to such coordinates without any given explanation. Olivia had to turn on the charm and Harry had to toss over added galleons but Stan came around without much fuss. Harry will never, _ever_ know what force was in their corner that night.

It worried him. Which, he knew that was a really pessimistic way to look at it but it was just that things didn't exactly work out for him. Luck only showed its face when he was almost dead and sometimes, it showed up late. That didn't sit well with Harry.

Still, he wasn't prepared to return the gift that was given. He climbed onto the knight bus readily after the others, continuously looking back. But, that door never opened and they weren't stopped and Harry had to wonder which deity he had pleased recently. Funnily enough, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny looked equally confused and on guard, as if they too were expecting some snatch and pull force to hold them back from this. It was almost too easy. And, if that didn't have a sense of impending doom, Harry didn't know what did.

"This is AWESOME!" Josh shouted as they whipped through traffic and hastily turned corners, a huge grin plastered on his face. His hair whipped around his face and he was attempting to stand as he held the frame of the bed sliding all over the place.

Harry wasn't quick to agree and it didn't seem like he was the only one. Em looked like she couldn't understand how such big bus was so fast and Harry could recall his first ride. Olivia had a tight grip on Ginny's hand and her eyes were wide but there was a certain level of thrill flashing across her face. Ginny wasn't surprised at all and seemed more distracted at the fact that Olivia was grasping her hand so tightly. Ron and Hermione both just gripped their respective beds with an air of indifference, or as much as one could have given the situation, and Harry suspected they were so flippant because it was normal for them to be dragged into insane situations such as this. Perks of being friends with him, he guessed.

And Nick, poor Nick, looked ready to vomit. He was ashen and had a death grip on the bars. His feet were planted firmly on the ground and he jerked around stiffly, the complete opposite to Josh's languid flowing. He looked pure terrified and his pupils were blown with fear and Harry couldn't help but feel pity.

In all the ruckus, Harry managed to kick Josh and subtly nod to Nick. Josh took one glance and was immediately visibly confused, not seeming to get how anyone could not be enjoying the ride. Still, he flopped over to Nick's bed and pressed right up against him, smirking as he wrapped an arm around Nick's shoulders. Nick turned and latched onto Josh, putting that death grip on him, and buried his face in Josh's neck. Josh looked inappropriately pleased with that turn of events.

"How long will we be on this death trap?" Em snapped, her jaw clenching as they narrowly avoided ramming into a car.

"Till we get there, love! And, she's not a death trap. She's a lifesaver!" Stan called out.

"It can be convenient." Hermione admitted, grimacing as she did so.

"Ever heard of driving like a normal person!?" Olivia burst out, her voice slightly breathless. She was the perfect mixture between Josh and Nick.

"Oh, Ernie here is perfectly capable-"

"Just because you're capable to do something doesn't mean you should." Em huffed out, nearly colliding with the pole she was gripping.

"It's safe." Stan muttered, almost petulantly, and scowled. Harry shot them a warning look, telling them to shut up before they lost their ride.

"It is." Harry agreed, as placating as one could when his bed was sliding all around and getting dangerously close to crashing into windows.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence and Stan's meaningless chatter. Harry braced himself when Stan told him they were near where they would drop them off at. Stan made it very clear that they weren't dropping them off at the exact coordinates because that was in the middle of the woods and would be pointless. Harry easily agreed, knowing that Stan didn't know where they were going. And soon, they were pulling up on a deserted road that seemed to lead to nowhere and coming to a stop.

"Alrigh', this is your stop. Don' know what you be wantin' to come out here for but hey, I am just the navigator. Thank you for choosing the Knight bus and have a good night."

With that, Stan ushered them off, finagling a few more galleons from Harry. Stan looked around skeptically as he seen the bare environment but gave a shrug and stepped back on the bus. He closed the doors and the bus was gone with a whoosh and squealing of tires. Harry sighed and turned to the others. Nick was shakily peeling himself from Josh who didn't seem to like that much. Olivia had loosened her grip on Ginny's hand but hadn't let go.

"Harry?" Hermione asked tentatively.

"We have to walk the rest of the way."

"That's okay." Nick said, liking any idea that didn't have anything to do with wizard types of transportation.

"It'll be for a few miles." Harry said, averting his eyes.

"How many is a few?" Ginny asked, narrowing her eyes. She knew he was sugarcoating it.

"Ah… Seven? In that direction." Harry muttered sheepishly and pointed towards a large expanse of nothing but thick woods.

"Bugger. Bloody Malfoys and their paranoia." Ron groaned.

"Oh come on! This could be fun! It'll be like hiking." Olivia chirped, suddenly much more animated than before.

"Yes, except there will be no water and no trail." Hermione pointed out.

"Thanks, Hermione." Olivia said, her face falling. Hermione bit her lip, automatically back tracking to fix it.

"But, it could be fun. Really!"

"I've always wanted to go hiking." Olivia sighed wistfully. "Dad refused when I asked. Said it wouldn't be much fun without mum."

"Well, we're going hiking together now." Josh said easily, smiling. Olivia beamed.

"This is going to be great! We can talk and sing and ask twenty questions! Oh, we can tell stories and tell embarrassing stories. My old friend, Helen, once said that hiking was always fun. I was actually invited with her once but I passed it up for going to a block party. Kinda regret that now but… Oh well." Olivia chattered as she headed towards the woods.

"Harry, she's great but I don't know if I can handle that for nearly three hours." Ron whispered out the side of his mouth as he fell into step beside him. Harry gave him a weak grin.

"Get into the spirit of things, mate. How bad could it be?"

Apparently, very bad.

Very, very bad.

Twenty minutes in and Olivia was complaining loud and rather obnoxiously to anyone who would listen or pretend to listen. Hiking, apparently, wasn't as much fun as she had thought it would be. There was the constant tripping over very well obscured tree roots and there was the frustrating lack of direction. Harry, along with most of the others, felt lost ten minutes into walking. There was walking through thick patches of grass or trees and not seeing the thorns until it was too late and they were getting scraped and scratched with every step. It seemed that hiking should've been left to mountains and not through woods.

They tried to make up for it by talking like Olivia envisioned. For the most part, that went okay. But, somehow, Ginny and Ron had gotten into a very tense argument. Harry figured that it had a lot to do with what they'd caught Ginny and Olivia doing. Olivia obviously did too because she put her opinion in and, well, Ron didn't like that very much.

Hermione, Em, Nick, and Harry tried to mediate and get everything calmed down. Josh simply was amused and took to making snarky comments directly with Ron as his intended target. Ron, despite having grown serious over this situation, was still a hothead with the tendency to be immature. So, when Ginny gave a rather alarming screech and attempted to pull her wand and bat-bogey hex her brother into oblivion, Harry wasn't so surprised. He had to wrestle her wand away and sternly tell them to shut up or start walking back. They shut up.

In fact, everyone did. For the next twenty minutes, everyone had went silent and tension was thick in the air. Em kept cursing quietly as she stumbled and Nick tripped onto his face three times. There was an obvious strain on them and yet, as horrible as it sounds, Harry welcomed it. The silence was nice.

The simple fact was that they were about to enter a secure place to break out the headmaster. The place was probably crawling with death eaters and Harry strictly believed that Voldemort was slithering around the manor, doing merlin knows what. He couldn't afford to focus on childish things such as squabbling siblings. This was serious and quite frightening, actually.

He had no clue how he was going to get into the manor without alarming someone. With the fact that the manor was so hard to reach without the means paired with how secretive the Malfoys were, Harry didn't doubt that it would be damn near impossible to get in. But, they _had_ to get in and save Dumbledore. And, maybe Snape. Maybe Draco…

Harry hadn't thought about the blond in a while. He wondered exactly how the other boy played into all of the things going on. Was Draco just as bad as his father? Did he have the mark? Did he need to be rescued, too? Harry couldn't help but think that in any given situation, if Draco really needed it, he would save him. Maybe he really _did_ have a hero complex.

They continued walking for a good bit in that heavy silence and Harry alternated his time between grasping his wand for reassurance and avoiding roots that tried to snag his feet. He watched in faint amusement as Hermione ended up grabbing Ron's elbow so he wouldn't fall. Even at that small contact, Ron blushed oh so obviously. Sad thing was that Josh noticed and his eyes brightened at the thought of more possibilities to create mischief. Harry hoped for their sakes that Josh forgot. He probably wouldn't, though.

And then, suddenly, the silence was broken.

"Hello, lovelies."

It all happened so quickly. Harry barely had anytime at all to think. He just reacted and he wasn't the only one. At that voice, that intrusive and unwelcome voice, they all whirled around to get the owner of it in their line of sight. It was only one man, only one, but he was clearly dangerous. He wore a smirk and his wand was loose in his fingers. Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and even Em had their wands out in a blink of an eye. The man just chuckled.

"What are you going to do with that, hmm?" The man teased, a maniacal glint in his eyes. He lifted his wand, just a smidge, but the action didn't go unnoticed.

Before anyone could properly think it through, there were multiple spells flying through the air. The man had the audacity to look genuinely surprised before he was hit. Maybe he expected them to truly not fight him, as if the threat of not going back to Hogwarts was worth dying. The man went down with a thud and Harry lowered his wand, thoroughly shaken up. They hadn't even heard the man walk up and they had no idea who else was out there.

"What do you think, you git?" Ron spat, glaring at the sprawled out man.

"What do you think he was out here for?" Ginny whispered.

"Maybe they have guards patrolling the woods. If I was an evil overlord, that's what I would do." Nick said.

"Dark lord." Hermione immediately corrected.

"Right."

"Do you think he's the only one?" Em asked, staring at her wand as if it was the solely most important thing she'd ever seen in her entire life.

"Not really." Ron muttered, frowning.

"We need to be on our guard. Good spell, by the way, Em. Let's keep going and keep at the ready." Harry declared.

"Thanks, I've been practicing." Em admitted, smiling.

"It's paying off."

After that, they started back walking. Harry saw that Nick, Josh, and Olivia all seemed to gravitate closer to anyone with a wand. Harry could understand and was glad they sensed the weight of disadvantage they had on them. Olivia stuck to Ginny's side, offering an approving grin, clearly impressed by Ginny's well aimed stupify. Harry was glad he had returned her wand during the silence.

Ginny seemed to straighten at the appraising look and grip her wand more tightly. Harry supposed that no one had ever looked at her like that before. Like she was capable, like she was impressive, like she was able to keep others safe. To everyone else, especially Ron, she'd always been the little sister that needed protecting. But, with Olivia looking at her like she was... Well, Harry got to watch as Ginny visibly fell slightly in love right then and there.

Surprisingly, Nick moved over to Ron, offering a smile of his own, though his was timid. Ron gave a weak grin back and easily clapped Nick on the shoulder, accepting the unspoken gratitude in a way only a boy could manage. Josh moved on over to Hermione, lightly pulling one of her curls and winking playfully. Hermione batted at his hands but it was halfhearted. Harry slowed down and stared at the whole group of his friends, momentarily stunned.

The earlier silence and tension was long gone, filled with light murmurs and soft laughter. An amicable air had tackled and smothered the tension into nonexistence. He couldn't believe he had thought the silence was nice. No, this, _this_ , was what he should've welcomed. All of his earlier scrambled thoughts eased off and he felt much better. Seeing them all like this, well, it gave him more hope that this wasn't just a suicide mission.

"Strange, isn't it?"

Harry jumped and turned his head to stare at Em. She stood at his side, her eyes on the six walking in front of them. Harry's eyes scanned her face and he tried to remember the last time he'd actually _looked_ at her, like _looked_ intently. He used to, quite often actually, just to stare in awe at their near perfect reflection of features. He did right then, just staring. She still looked just like him, even under all the piercings. And, it was still awe inspiring. He sighed and recalled that she asked him a question.

"What?"

"Them. Us. It's odd." She said, tilting her head. Harry glanced back up at the others, watching as Ron lightly shoved Nick and Josh kicked a rock out of Hermione's way.

"How do you mean? I like it." Harry said defensively.

"I never said it was a bad thing, Harry. Remember, we like odd things. I just mean that we haven't had this many misfits in such a long time." Em commented.

And, Harry was mystified. He nearly tripped, though he wasn't even walking. He was completely taken aback, completely thrown for a loop. Harry hadn't thought about it or even considered it, really, but Em was right. Harry wasn't the only magical misfit, anymore. Somewhere, along the way, Hermione and Ron and Ginny had been welcomed as well. Harry didn't know when or how it happened but now that he thought about it, it certainly had.

"Yeah," Harry croaked. "I guess not."

"You know, I should thank you." Em told him.

"Why?" Harry asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, I've always been different. I didn't know I was a witch, I just thought I was a freak. But then, you come along and suddenly, I'm apart of this whole new world. Plus, I don't have to go back to the nuns."

"You're okay with that? With all that I've dragged you into?"

"Yeah, I am. We all are. We don't want to go home, Harry, and we sure as hell don't want to go back to Karlbergs. We're happy here, happy with you."

"You could die." Harry whispered, his voice cracking as he addressed the one thing he preferred to avoid. Em's hand slipped into his, their fingers threading together.

"That's our choice to make. We chose to be here with you and them. We could've stayed or said no. And, if we do die, it won't be the worst thing to happen to us."

"Why would you say that?" Harry hissed. Em frowned.

"Think about our lives, Harry. How is death anything but an escape? Let us decide what's worth it, okay? I can honestly say that I want to be here and don't plan to leave."

"So, you really want to be a witch, huh?"

"I don't really get a choice, do I? It's not a matter of what I want. I _am_ a witch. That's just how it is. I'm not going to throw that away. We have nothing to look back to. Well, Olivia thinks she does but..." Em trailed off, sighing and glancing up to look at Olivia.

"Her dad." Harry murmured, just thinking about that.

"Eventually, she'll want to go see him. She still thinks he cares about her." Em replied quietly.

"You don't?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing.

"No. I've seen her after he's been particularly violent. I daresay that any care he had for her faded a long time ago. I don't know how that can happen to a father but I've seen worse, so..." Em trailed off again.

"That's just... I don't understand how she can still defend him." Harry sighed heavily.

"He's her father and at one time, he was good to her. He wasn't always bad. She still loves him."

"He hurts her and she still loves him?" Harry spluttered.

"That's how love works, Harry, didn't you know?" Em muttered, slightly bitter if Harry heard correctly. And, his mouth ran away from him.

"You mean Butch, right?" Harry blurted out before he could stop himself. Em's head snapped up and she stared at him.

"How-"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

" _Harry_. How did you know that?" Em whispered urgently.

"I'm sorry. I just... There was one night that I couldn't sleep and I snuck out. I saw you and him... I never said anything to the others." Harry admitted. Em fell silent before sighing.

"You saw our last fight. I _knew_ I saw someone when I went around the corner. I was just so..."

"Upset." Harry suggested.

"Yeah." Em agreed, running a hand through her unruly hair.

"I wasn't going to say anything."

"It's okay. Thanks for keeping it to yourself."

"Can I- I mean... Can I ask you something?"

"You just did but you can ask something else."

"How did you even... How do you love him?" Harry asked.

"I didn't mean to, if that makes you feel any better." Em said sheepishly. Harry didn't think it did.

"But, how? What happened?"

"If you stuck around, you saw how he can be. He's not really a bad person. He's just...not so good. There is a difference in that somewhere. I tried to find it, I guess, but he made it difficult. At first, it was just a lot of sexual tension that needed an outlet. It was nice in the physical sense. But then, it grew into something else. We got in too deep and we just went about hurting each other. I had to stop it."

"I'm sorry." Harry mumbled sincerely. Em gave a feeble shrug and averted her eyes.

"It's alright. I'm getting over it."

"Really?"

"No." Em said.

Harry had enough respect to fall silent and drop that conversation. He just kept a hold on Em's hand and kept walking. He didn't realize they'd even began strolling behind the others. He'd been so caught up in talking to her that he hadn't even noticed. Harry didn't want to think about why he took such an interest in enemies falling in love. Really, it wasn't even all that appealing or interesting.

They caught up to others and tried to make some semblance of a plan. But, when they had no idea what they were facing or what they were to expect, they did nothing but fall flat. There were mentions of bursting in, wands blazing, but those were the quickest shot down. There was even the plan that someone go in as bait and that was actually considered before it occurred to them that the idea meant someone was going to probably die. That one was shot down pretty quickly, too.

Finally, it was decided just to get close enough to the place and scope it out and see what they were working with before they made any serious plans. After that, they just wondered what the adults were doing back at headquarters. Harry suggested sleeping because it was nearly three in the morning but Ron had bitterly said that it was no doubt that they'd been caught gone by now. And, Harry had to agree with that. Their luck could only go so far, he knew.

And then, the manor was coming back into view.

It was everything Harry had ever expected the Malfoys to own. It was big, expensive, and elegant and that was just the outside. And, if he wasn't mistaken, they had _peacocks_. That should've surprised him but it didn't. They all stopped on the edge of the forest, a good few hundred yards from the actual manor. Still, they had a very good view of the place and settled down to look around.

"We could enter through the peacock's pens." Josh suggested, his smile wide.

"Okay, no." Hermione replied immediately, shuddering.

"Alright, genius, what's your plan?"

"We could go in through the west wing. It looks fairly deserted."

"Too risky." Em shot down.

"The gardens." Nick breathed out, his eyes wide with delight.

"What?" Harry asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"The gardens. We go in through the gardens. Look at that." Nick said, nodding.

They all followed his directing nod to the gardens. It was not only the gardens but there was something else. The Malfoys had a canopy over the walkway through the gardens, really expensive and really high. It led all the way to the entrance and a good bit above that, a window. Harry could see the connection Nick made and had to admit that it was a good one.

"Brilliant! Just how are we getting to the gardens without getting seen, may I ask?" Ginny asked. Nick grimaced and shot a look to Josh who perked up.

"No." Hermione said sternly.

"Hermione, it's the only way." Nick said urgently.

"Absolutely not!"

"Hermione." Harry said and she looked at him. They stared at each other for a moment and Hermione bit her lip. She knew they were right.

"Fine! We go in through the…peacocks."

It was easier decided than done. They had to edge around the entrance to the woods until they were parallel to the peacock pens and not get caught. That proved rather difficult when a group of what clearly was death eaters came walking through the grounds, laughing loudly and talking. They went straight into the woods, missing them only slightly. Harry and the others had to edge around as quietly as possible and avoid the continuous leak of groups of death eaters doing what must've been patrols of some sort. Occasionally, one man would come out alone and go in on his own. Harry realized just how lucky they were to run into one instead of a group.

Once they were across from the pens, they had to cross the very small distance between the woods and the pens. There was some bickering because half wanted to make a dash for it and the other wanted to belly crawl their way over. It was decided that quick and silent was the way to go about it. So, as silently as they could manage, and one by one, they all sprinted over to the pens and slid under the gap in the fence. Somehow, they managed to go unnoticed.

Then came the next issue. The peacocks had taken notice of them and weren't being very subtle. Hermione looked around frantically as if searching for a dead ferret to throw but there was nothing. They had nothing else to do besides inch their way around the edge of the pin and hope the peacocks didn't attack them. The whole time the beady eyes of the peacocks followed their movements and it was very tedious. Yet, the peacocks never moved.

Until they began climbing, that is. As soon as they all started hiking up the side of the canopy, the peacocks all rose and ran over with threat gleaming in their eyes. Harry scrambled up the side as fast as he could, grabbing Nick's hand as he passed and helping him along the way. Hermione gave a shriek when one of the peacocks grabbed one of her curls, pecking at her head. Josh and Ron both nearly tumbled over the top as they leaned back to grasp her arms and jerk her up.

"I told you!" She hissed.

Harry panted and sprawled out on his back, his heart racing. They all fell silent, allowing Hermione her moment. They all listened intently but no sound of chase or spells came. Somehow, they had gotten another clean break in that, too. Harry shakily got on his hand and knees and began crawling along the top of the canopy. After a beat, the others followed.

The canopy shook under their combined weights and their feet kept getting caught in the vines that had grew all over the canopy. Still, they continued on relentlessly. The darkness hung heavily around them but Harry was glad for it, glad for the protection it brought them. Soon, they had reached the end and was under the window. They didn't dare use magic to break in, sure that it would raise some alarms.

"Lucky for us, I'm quite adept at windows." Nick whispered.

In a great display of surprising strength, Nick hoisted himself up on the ledge, because of course all the windows in the manor were huge, and went to breaking in. After a few moments of no success, Harry worried that Nick couldn't do it. But, he shouldn't have doubted him at all. A click and the windows were silently swinging inwards.

"Fantastic, Nick." Harry murmured, giving him a thumbs up.

"I am going in. Come on up."

Josh went next and he and Nick helped up the next few to go. Olivia stepped back, allowing everyone to go before her. When she was the only one left, Harry and Josh leaned out the window to help her up but gave pause when they saw her. She was standing there, her arms wrapped tightly around herself and breathing erratically. She looked like she was unraveling and having a full blown panic attack.

"Olivia," Josh whispered and she looked up with wide, watery eyes. "Come on, it's okay. Just breathe."

"I'm scared." Olivia admitted.

"It's going to be okay. We're fine." Harry said as soothingly as he could. Olivia bit her lip and shook her head, looking down and biting her lip. Then, she breathed in deeply and relaxed, shaking her hands out and rolling her shoulders.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

She lifted her arms and they helped her up and in the room. Once they were all in, Harry shut the window but left it unlocked. Just in case. They all looked at each other and shared a moment of accomplishment. Then, they looked around the room and noticed how pristine and clean it looked. It was pretty bare and held only the necessities that any room would have.

"A guest room." Josh hummed.

"Josh, do houses like these have a basement or attic. Somewhere that could easily be transformed into dungeons?" Hermione asked.

"This house is so old, it might very well just have dungeon. You might not be able to tell but this is an ancestral house. Generations have lived here." Josh said appreciatively.

"That's not ominous at all." Nick muttered.

"Okay, so which way would we go?" Harry asked.

"Down, obviously." Josh said, shrugging.

"That's it?" Ron asked, not quite comforted with how little they had to go on.

"Well, it's not exactly like I have blueprints laid out for me to study." Josh huffed.

"Okay, whatever, let's just go." Harry interrupted quickly.

Taking the lead, Harry led them to the door and out into the hall. It was unsaid that they stay as quiet as possible and stayed pressed close into the shadows as they moved. As they reached the end of the hall, Harry took one final look back. Everyone was behind him and Olivia was hovering at the back, something that made Harry frown. Still, he didn't have time to comment. He simply nodded to let them know to keep behind him and be ready.

With that, Harry took an immediate left and crept towards the stairs that were leading down. The house was eerily silent as they padded down the winding staircase. Harry strained his ears but heard nothing as they reached the ground floor. He glanced around, noting the elegant decor, before deciding where to continue on towards.

There were two other hallways branching off from the lobby and a huge aged door that Harry didn't doubt led to the dining hall that'd casted in so many of his dreams. He'd recognize the door anywhere. He remembered in his dreams how he could hear the faint sound of torture going on from that room and he started edging towards the door. A hand caught his arm and he whirled around. Hermione was staring at him incredulously.

"What are you doing?" She hissed. Harry frowned.

"Just trust me." He breathed back. She bit her lip but let him go and stepped back.

His eyes darted around and his heart raced as he slipped quietly over to the door. He kept his wand at the ready and stepped up to it, listening intently. He couldn't hear anything but the echoing silence and felt his stomach churn as he got a bad feeling. He gulped and looked around for some sign of something. He found it in the form of another door that was only a little bit beside the door he had first seen. This door was smaller and more dingy. It was too close to the bigger door to be coincidence.

He abruptly went over to it, just knowing it led somewhere that the Malfoys preferred to keep off to the side. He could hear the others follow him and he stood in front of the door. He reached out and gripped the doorknob, turning it. He was mildly surprised when the door clicked open and swung in with a creak. The door opened to stairs that went down rather steeply.

He knew without a doubt that this was it. This was where they were keeping Dumbledore. His mind and heart raced as he quickly and quietly crept down the steps. It was really dark and Harry waited until he was at the bottom to be worried about that. He fell silent and listened, trying to locate something that would help them. All he heard was absolutely nothing. With a gulp, he flicked his wand.

"Lumos." He breathed.

The room lit up from the light his wand produced. It was just a simple brick room with concrete floor covered in hay. More light shined as his friends followed suit. He turned around and scanned the room, looking for anything. He couldn't see much and was starting to get worried when he heard a slightly gurgled groan. He whipped around and shuffled closer to the source of the sound. He caught a flash of grey hair in the dim light of his wand and then he was moving, rushing over to the corner of the room.

"Dumbledore!" He burst out in a hiss.

The man coughed slightly and leaned on the wall, looking at Harry full on with blue eyes. Harry dropped to his knees, holding out his hands as if to help. But, in truth, he had no idea what to do. The others circled around them, shining their wands and watching in worry. Dumbledore looked at him and his eyes were incredibly sad.

"Harry, my boy, you have to get out of here. Do not ask, do not wait. Hasten to go." Dumbledore said in a low urgent tone, lightly pushing Harry away.

"Dumbledore, we have to get you out of here." Harry said and started fumbling around to see what held him there.

"You need to go. All of you." Dumbledore insisted as Harry started fiddling with the shackles on his wrists.

"We've come to get you out." Harry replied and growled when he couldn't open them. Josh elbowed him over and started doing some of his own fiddling with the shackles.

"I can't begin to guess how you all found me or how you even got here. I admire your persistence but you have to leave now. Harry, it's a trap."

About the time Dumbledore finished speaking, loud clapping broke through the room. Harry whipped around and froze in place as his eyes landed on Lucius Malfoy. The man stood there with a smirk and was clapping in a parody of approval. Harry slowly straightened and all the others froze and stared, realizing they were caught.

"Well done, Mr. Potter and company. You walked right into our trap brilliantly." Lucius said lightly, his eyes glinting.

Harry raised his wand, ready to fire off a spell, but Lucius waved his own wand, sending Harry's sailing through the air. With quick precise movements, Lucius had disarmed all of the teens there. They were effectively powerless and in a dungeon. Harry wanted to curse but didn't dare to say a word. He could see Olivia trembling and Nick grasping Josh's hand like a lifeline.

"That's not nice." Lucius teased. "Come now, let's talk about this. After all, it wasn't I who led you to the trap. You managed that all on your own and of course, there was the help from the traitor in the midst."

Harry stiffened and glared at Lucius like he could set him on fire with his eyes. How dare Lucius suggest that someone had betrayed them? It was ridiculous and Harry didn't dare to entertain the notion. The other shifted but tried to glare the Malfoy patriarch down as well. If looks could kill, Lucius would be long dead.

"What? You don't believe me? Think about it, Mr. Potter. Just how exactly did you get this far? Did you really think that you managed to break into my home and get so close in this rescue mission? Did you really think that you could manage that if we didn't want you to? How do you suppose we even knew you were on the way? We were tipped off. Maybe you should start looking for a traitor."

"No one has betrayed us!" Harry spat. The idea of that put him on edge and reminded him way too much of Pettigrew.

"Hmm. Whatever helps you sleep at night. The fact is that you are here now. Of course, the dark lord always knew this would happen. He caught Dumbledore with these exact intentions. He knew you would come running, especially with that idiotic need to save everyone that you own. And now, you're all going to die." Lucius said, clearly amused by the whole thing.

"You're wrong." Harry said, maybe just to be contradictory.

"We will see. Now, I must be along. I have a call to make." Lucius said, tapping his arm pointedly and smirking.

He walked out the room, pocketing all the wands and slamming the door. An audible click let them all know that they were locked in. Harry leaned against the wall and his head hit with a small thump. His mind whirred and his heart seemed to be trying to crack a rib.

"Harry," Hermione murmured. "What are we going to do?"

"Honestly, Hermione, we have to get out of here. All of us." Harry said, throwing a pointed look to Dumbledore.

Harry hated how stuck he felt in that moment. He knew that the bad feeling he had prior wasn't just nerves. He should've known better. This was all just a big trap and what was sad was that they'd honestly believed that they were in the clear. It never was that simple and Harry wanted to kick himself. They were in a mess now and he wasn't sure how he was going to get them out of it.

"There has to be something we can do." Em snapped.

"Well, Voldemort isn't here yet. If we're getting out, we've got to do it now." Harry mumbled.

"So, what do we do?" Nick asked and his voice cracked. Harry looked at him and noted how he was twisting his hands together and shuffling his feet. It was almost like a guilty action.

Harry ended the beginning of that thought before it could properly take root. He wasn't going to start thinking that one of his friends betrayed them. They didn't. Harry wasn't going allow Voldemort to make them all doubt each other. It would tear them apart. They were family and they wouldn't do that to each other. Harry stood firmly behind that and didn't dare think anything else.

"We spread out and try to find a way out of here. And, we get Dumbledore free."

"I'll handle the shackles." Josh said.

"Alright. Everyone else, let's find a way out of here."

After a mere few minutes of fumbling with the shackles around Dumbledore's wrists, Josh managed to free him. Dumbledore slumped to the wall before standing up and swaying in what was clearly exhaustion. Whatever help Harry had hoped Dumbledore would be, he dismissed it. Dumbledore could barely walk, let alone do some special wandless magic of sorts. Dumbledore did slowly make his way around the room, trying to help them get out too.

The room was sealed in all ways but one. The only way they were getting out of that room was through the door that Lucius had locked. They couldn't very well break it down and run for it, especially with Dumbledore. They couldn't pick the lock, either. Josh, Nick, and Olivia had all tried very hard to do so. So, they were stuck.

But, Harry didn't give up. Maybe it was just on general principle alone but he kept trying until they couldn't try anymore. That time came quicker than he'd expected. It was probably only twenty minutes later when the door creaked open. They all fell silent and looked in the doorway but no one was there. And then, Voldemort was gliding down the steps, his red eyes flicking over everyone.

Harry crumbled as soon as the serpent like man entered. His scar was burning hotter than ever before and he couldn't think past the pain. He gritted his teeth and cradled his scar, wiping the blood away. Voldemort came to a stop and glared around at them.

"Well, I can't say that I'm surprised." Voldemort said coldly, sending fear crawling up their spines.

Perhaps, it was the pain originating from his throbbing scar or the fact that Dumbledore was in the room with them but Harry was not scared. He was anxious, yes, and even had trepidation coursing through him but he was not scared. He was going to die and for some unfathomable reason, he wasn't freaking out. There was no way out and Voldemort was going to win but Harry wasn't a hysterical mess. He had once again led all the people he loved into a trap and he was just resigned to that fact. His luck had run out.

"I must say, Harry, that I would've thought you come sooner. I feared that you weren't coming at all." Voldemort said, gliding forward slightly. The way his sweeping robe slid across the floor reminded him of Dementors.

"Tell me, Harry, how does it feel to know that you are going to die?" Voldemort asked him, his face twisting in a sneer. Harry didn't dare reply, keeping his jaws clenched. His scar was throbbing and was utterly distracting.

"Not only that but all of your friends are going to die as well. And, Dumbledore shall, too. It is all your fault."

Harry fought the pang in his chest and shifted slightly. He didn't know what to do or how to act or what to say. The simple fact was that Voldemort was right. Harry glanced at all his friends, hoping they'd see his sincerest apologies. Nick and Josh stood rigid, grasping each other's hands and simply staring right into each other's eyes. Em was clenching and unclenching her hans and staring at Voldemort with wide eyes. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron all were trying to stand defiant but he could see them trembling. Olivia was wringing her hands out and staring at the floor steadily.

"I should kill you all right now. However, I have plans for all of you. Especially, _you_."

If Harry ever had to guess that Voldemort would have plans for anyone especially, he would've assumed that it was him. However, Voldemort locked his cold red eyes right onto Em and gave a twisted, thin smile. Harry felt his insides go cold and shock fizzle through him. What did Voldemort want specifically with Em? She looked just as stunned and it must've showed on her face because Voldemort gave a mirthless laugh.

"What? You do not know? Surely, the resemblance between you and Harry Potter was too striking to ignore? The dreams were too correct to be coincidence. You'd both have to have wondered." Voldemort said in a hiss.

Harry stared at Em, his stomach tightening in knots. Even now, she looked just like him. They stared at each other, uncertainty hanging in the air. What did Voldemort mean? What exactly was he hinting at? Harry turned to Dumbledore for some guidance, as he always had, but Dumbledore was simply staring at Voldemort. Em dispelled a sharp and loud breath, her hands shaking something terrible. With just a look shared between them, Harry and Em both agreed not to say a word.

"Fools, the lot of you. I suppose I should've known your tiny amount of intelligence wouldn't stretch as far as I had hoped. Well, I cannot wait to unravel that mystery for you. But, for now, I've got some business to attend to. Do not go anywhere." Voldemort sneered and swept back out of the room, leaving a dark residue of his presence.

"Harry, we _have_ to get out of here." Hermione hissed urgently.

"I realize that, Hermione." Harry snapped.

"What do you think he was talking about?" Em breathed out. Harry's jaw ticked and he glared around the room, looking for something.

"It doesn't matter right now. He was probably just tricking us again. Let's get out of here." Harry said and started to stride away. Em caught his arm and her green eyes locked onto his and held him there.

"You know that's not true. You know he was right. Harry, we're practically twins. We have the same dreams, the same memories, the same situation. What does it all mean?"

"I don't know and I wouldn't put much stock into what he has to say." Harry said.

"Stop avoiding it!" Em exploded, her grip tightening. "I want to know!"

"I'm not willing to stay just to find out! So, let me go and start looking for a way out of here!" Harry shouted back, his face twisting into a glare. Em dropped his arm hastily and averted her eyes.

"I just want to know my story, Harry, is that so wrong? What if we _really_ are twins, hmm?" She whispered hoarsely. Em had spoke the thing that had bounced around Harry's mind ever since he'd caught sight of her without the peircings, ever since that damn tattoo on her leg, ever since Voldemort came in and toyed with them. Harry took a deep breath.

"We will figure it out, Em, I promise. But, for now, can we just get out of here?"

"Okay." Em agreed.

Before they could separate and go looking for any way out, the door was swinging open. Harry's heart dropped and started hammering away in his chest. Whatever window of opportunity they had was officially gone. They all stepped back and crowded together, somehow knowing that this was it. There last hope had just died away and they were about to be nothing but entertainment for Voldemort.

A part of Harry was still ready to fight, to survive, but another part of him was resigned to it. He should've known. Nothing in his life ever was fair and he could never catch a break. He only wished he hadn't dragged his friends into it. He glared up at the doorway, knowing this was it. Voldemort was going to sweep in and torture and maim them as he pleased. Voldemort was going to-

"Headmaster?"

Harry froze and his eyes widened. Dumbledore let out a very small sigh beside them and Harry swallowed thickly when he realized it was one of relief. Harry blinked as his mind tried to process what he'd just heard. Of course, he would know that voice anywhere. Draco Malfoy's voice was very distinguishable, especially to his ears. He'd heard taunts and yells in that voice ever since he was eleven. He hadn't, however, heard that voice ever go so soft or tentative.

"Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore greeted back quietly. The steps creaked as Draco finished his descent. He was speaking before he even reached the ground.

"Still sane, I see. Or, as sane as you could ever-"

Draco cut himself off as soon as he caught sight of the group huddled beside Dumbledore. Harry watched as his gaze flickered over everyone in turn. Recognition flickered in his eyes as he saw Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. When he saw Harry, his eyes widened and darted to look over Harry like he might have multiple wounds or something. Then, his grey eyes locked onto Harry's green in something akin to confusion. Harry felt his stomach flip flop and swallowed. Draco looked down to the tray he held in his hands and frowned.

"Well, looks like we found our way out." Em whispered.

"What?" Draco blurted out, his eyes flickering back up to stare at Em. His gaze danced between her and Harry, confusion still clouded there.

"We need to get out of here." Josh said simply.

"Save it. Malfoy won't help us." Ron grumpled.

"On the contraire, darling. I think he just might." Josh chirped, looking between Harry and Draco in amusement.

"Weasley's right. I can't help. I have to go." Draco snapped, his face morphing into an all familiar sneer that set Harry to grinding his teeth. In that moment, Harry hated asking for help.

"Malfoy!" He snapped harshly. Draco turned a glare on him and Harry almost withered under it. Almost.

"What, Scarhead? How exactly did you find yourself walking into a trap, hmm? I knew you were an idiot but really-"

"Watch it, ferret." Ron growled.

"Shut it, both of you. I don't have time for this. What are you doing down here? Voldemort obviously doesn't know you're down here." Harry said curtly. Draco said nothing.

"Mr. Malfoy has been kind enough to bring me some food when he can. He has been keeping me alive and-"

"Enough!" Draco interrupted Dumbledore and grimaced. "Nothing. What does it matter? What do you want, Potter?"

"I want you to walk right back out that door." Harry said slowly, clearly. Draco blinked.

"What?" He muttered, clearly not expecting that.

"I want you to leave. Take the food and walk away and pretend you never saw us. Forget we're even here. Just, when you shut that door, don't turn the lock. That's all we- I ask." Harry said earnestly. Draco opened his mouth, maybe to refuse, but he snapped it shut and breathed a deep breath.

"Potter, you are far too trusting for your own good."

That was all Draco said before he was turning and walking away. Harry knew how much trouble Draco would be in if he were caught down here, especially now that they were here. He was faintly surprised that Draco hadn't tucked tail and ran immediately. Lucky for them, he hadn't. Now, all they had to do was wait and see if he was going to lock that door. It swung forward and they all waited for a click.

It never came. Draco hadn't even shut it all the way.

"Bloody hell." Ron muttered.

"Guess he isn't so much of a git after all." Nick hummed.

"No, he's still a git." Harry huffed and broke away to head up the stairs.

"Seemed pretty, ah, pretty tense between you two."Em commented casually.

"Harry and Draco have been at each other's throats for years." Hermione explained.

"Have they?" Olivia spoke up for the first time since before Voldemort came. She had a knowing glint in her eyes and Harry frowned at her.

"Mhm. Their fights are brutal. Not that I can talk. Me and Malfoy go at it as well. Though, we don't bicker as much as Harry and he does. I guess I just want to punch him more." Ron said as he too went up the stairs. Harry closed his eyes, mortification settling in him, and cleared his throat.

"You can all shut up now. Let's get out of here."

"How?" Nick asked.

"Same way we came in, I suppose." Harry murmured.

"Are you mad?" Nick hissed. "They must've known-"

"They didn't know our plan to get here, just that we were coming. If they had known how we got in, they would've grabbed us up before then."

"Okay, let's go."

Harry knew logically that getting out was going to be much, much harder than getting in was. They had been allowed in and were supposed to stay that way. However, Draco had given them the element of surprise, that was for sure.


End file.
